


Nexus

by Disturbed Turtle (fairurbanstrife)



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Drama, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Male Friendship, Mild Language, Multi, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2017-12-29 14:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 58,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairurbanstrife/pseuds/Disturbed%20Turtle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Hojo had a third test subject? How will their crossed paths affect one another? Will their friendship stand up to Hojo and his creations? </p><p>AU a little OOC. Rated for violence, language, assault (both physical and sexual), sex, and death. Not yaoi but has some elements of yaoi. Suspense/Drama/Adventure etc. Please leave your comments and kudos!</p><p>Beta Reader SubZeroChimera and Queen of Jokers on FFnet<br/>Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters. I do however own my OCs.<br/>*Work In Progress*</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> With permission from the author, I used a few elements of the guys in the labs to build upon from a fanfiction story on FFnet called "Reduced to Specimens" by Jaydee Grey. When reading that story, I was inspired to write this story. Her story is gritty and violent, just the way I like to read them, I just have a hard time writing them like that. Some scenes are presented as re-writes of scenes in "Reduced to Specimens." Check out her story too, it is an awesome story!

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

Chapter 1

Feeling the first parts of confusion when first waking up, Zack thought, 'What is that?' Something was digging into his ribs.

Trying to move, a shot of pain went through his body and he stopped immediately. Slowly opening his eyes, the low lighting in the dim room was thankfully easy on his growing headache.

'Where am I?'

All of a sudden the realization hit him right where it hurt. The stairs beneath him was what was putting painful and odd pressure on his body. Looking over to his right, he saw Cloud lying in an awkward position upside down on the stairs. Blood, and a lot of it, drawn by gravity up Cloud's neck, across his face and through his hair where it dripped to the stairs.

Reaching out, he tried to shake him, check on his friend, he just couldn't lose anyone else. Panic set up residence in his gut as he realized that he could almost reach him. Darkness seeped in and took hold of him and he found he was fighting a losing battle, he just couldn't stay conscious.

A shrill voice ricocheted around the enclosed area, "Excellent!"

Opening his eyes just enough to see a little light, he recognized Cloud on a stretcher across from him. A man who resembled that vile and creepy Professor Hojo looked him over, "This is excellent! He will make a fine test subject."

Hojo, cackled in that obscene laugh that was oh so annoying to anyone who was within ear shot. Trying to look over the edge of the stretcher so he could see Cloud, a thought interrupted the desire to see his friend, 'Wait… What? Did he say test subject?' He wrote it off, thinking that he just misheard him; after all, he was surely in shock from blood loss.

The undersides of his eyelids were a comforting feeling until he felt hands touching him. The pain from his wounds that he sustained from the fight with Sephiroth stung from the rush of cool air when they turned him over. The pain got him thinking again and he was sorry of that fact, 'Sephiroth! Cloud killed him… Sephiroth killed everyone.'

Unable to really speak, his inner monologue was becoming quite consoling. When the hands that didn't feel very gentle, laid him out, his wounds yet again let him know he was still alive. When the tightly drawn canvas material met his back, he grimaced and screamed with his inner voice, 'Ouch! You stupid bastards, that hurts.'

Next thing he knew, the rhythm of the sway back and forth while he was carried to the medical transport lulled him.

When the rhythm stopped with a jerk and then nothing, he slowly opened his eyes. Taking a slow pained glance around, he could see Cloud lying on his back on another stretcher right next to him. The slow steady rise and retreat of his chest in sync with his breaths, made Zack sigh in relief. Again, he tried to reach for him, but his weakened arm got intercepted by a medic, "Just keep your hands right here," Then his hand got placed back by his side.

Closing his eyes again, his thoughts drifted slowly like a piece of paper in a breeze, a paper airplane given life by the wind, 'Alright then, I will talk to him once we reach the hospital and they fix us up. Just hang in there Cloud, we'll make it, I promise.' Already forgetting what he had heard from Hojo, he let out a small quiet sigh as he let himself fall back into unconsciousness.

* * *

A loud screechy voice was heard from farther inside the reactor, "Sir…Doctor Hojo…Sir, Professor," The owner of the voice, an infantry soldier, appeared in the doorway.

Highly annoyed, Hojo raised his head from the paper work he was signing to berate the infantryman, "Do you not realize that I am busy? Why are you yelling, I am NOT on the other side of town… Now, what do you want?!"

The soldier looked down at his feet and already regretted yelling so emphatically. In a normal inside voice the soldier informed the visibly irate man, "Sir, we found something in here that you may want to see."

Hojo's ominous gaze changed to straight anger, "What! Why are you just now telling me this! Get out of my way, insect," Bounding up the stairs, he went faster than anyone had ever seen the man move before.

As he entered the room where Jenova was kept, his gaze fell several feet down from the walkway. Right next to the wall on the far side, a large crystal seemed like it was hovering just above the raw mako. The shiny part was equal to the dull green color of mako, and although it was cloudy and difficult to see, there was definitely something in it.

The smooth surface on the top of the very large crystal had a fluid-like appearance and resembled a beautiful bright olive colored river rock. Adding small swirls of different shades of green, it could easily be called exquisite. But Hojo wasn't looking at the beauty, he was looking at what it held beneath the surface. It was large enough to hold a full-grown man, "Well what are you waiting for? Get something to get it up here!" Under his breath he said, "Sephiroth, my boy."

The soldiers immediately got to work bringing the crystal up on the walkway. Stroking the lightly glowing crystal, Hojo knelt and smiled a gleeful and uncharacteristic smile. The infantryman who discovered the crystal was beyond creeped out by what Hojo considered a smile, "Load the crystal and its contents carefully into the second truck." The soldiers immediately complied, fearful of what Hojo could do or them becoming another 'lost' soldier.

Loading the man-sized crystal proved somewhat of a challenge as the soldiers quickly found out. Although the top was smooth, the bottom of it was nothing but large jagged edges that were sharp and jutted out with dangerous intentions. Placing it on a large industrial type metal stretcher was hard enough so they were forced to place it on its side. Out the door and down several stairs, the path to the transport seemed never-ending. Grunting and sweating the entire way, one of the soldiers, Private Barber, lost his grip and caught it just as Hojo rounded the corner. A glance at the soldiers across from him, the other guys sighed with relief that Hojo hadn't seen the slip. They eventually got it into the back of the truck and closed the doors. The strange Professor was fast approaching them with a clipboard in his hand, "Take the crystal to the mansion along with the other cargo, and do not break anything!"

* * *

Zack could feel hands on him, cold hands that matched the frigid metal table he was on. Hearing chatter, he was only able to pick up a word here and there. 'Table… IV… clothes… tank… Soldier First Class… sword wound… blond…'

Opening his eyes slowly, an extremely bright light shone in his face. As his eyes gradually adjusted to the light, he looked around, nothing seemed familiar to him. A lightening bolt of pain shocked him, he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Upon opening his eyes again, a woman wearing a white lab coat approached him. Thinking that it was rude not to smile at her, his drug induced joy, he watched as she emptied the contents of a syringe into his IV. Just as he started to doze off, he asked where Cloud was. The lab tech said nothing so he drifted into darkness again with his thoughts of Aerith...

Zack's refusal to fight Angeal cost him a long trip down under the plate without the advantage of using stairs or taking the train. Taking a quick assessment of his body, everything felt fine and in good working condition so far. Hearing a soft voice, he immediately thought that maybe he wasn't alright.

* * *

_"Heelllooo"_

_Cracking his eyes open a little, there was a figure standing over him, a beautiful woman with bright warming light surrounding her. It was only natural that he asked the first thing that got from his brain to his mouth, "Heaven?"_

_Long hair, light brown in a braid fell over her shoulder, "No, sector 5 slums."_

_The bright light resembled wings as the divine light enveloped her now, "Angel?"_

_A soft innocent giggle and a radiant smile made her that much more beautiful, "No, I'm Aerith"_

_'I sure do miss her….'_

* * *

Brady Chase was new to the lab run by Hojo. To say that he was nervous was a bit of an understatement. When he got the call yesterday to come to Nibelheim with the rest of Hojo's lab crew he was so happy that all his hard work was finally recognized, and by none other than Hojo himself. He had heard stories of how he was creepy and strange but he was just another rung on that ladder to the top to him. Chase was as power-hungry as any other person in the Shinra Corporation.

Hard work and recognition was the key that got him where he was. Now that he was in a good position, advancement was only given to those who showed promise. Of course a little underhanded deal here and there didn't hurt either, he knew how to play the corporate game and he played it well. Hojo was his ticket to success.

When the soldiers brought in his patients, one was a Soldier First Class and the other an infantry soldier. The analytical medical side went into straight into work mode.

The first patient was a fairly large male, approximately 18 to 20 years old and well-muscled. The second patient was smaller framed and damn near a child and couldn't have been more than 14 to 15 years old.

Quickly looking over their injuries, he let out a long sigh, at the prospect of performing surgery until late into the night. Adjusting his white lab coat, he looked down at the notes that were scribbled on the pages from the medics that recovered them from the reactor.

A lab tech handed him some official looking files, "Hmm, Soldier First Class Zack Fair and Private Cloud Strife, infantryman." Glancing over to Zack, he was awake and trying to look around. They still needed surgery for their injuries, so he ordered one of the lab technicians to give him a sedative.

Getting the sedative ready, he smiled at her and it was surprising that he really was a beautiful man with a smile that would light up a room, "Hey pretty la...lady, h…how is Clo…ud?" She said nothing, just a simple smile, and injected the medication directly into the port of his IV and watched as he drifted off. Those particular drugs didn't work well on Soldiers because of their enhanced metabolism so he had her double the dose.

Another lab technician, Burton Hill, was such a weasel of a man. The odd little man reminded him of Hojo, only younger. Looking over the tanks, he wanted to make sure the water was the right temperature for them after their surgery. Hojo came in about that time and started barking out orders. Two more lab techs came in right after him and the lab was then a flurry of activity.

Chase and two of the male guards cut away Zack's shirt to show his extensive wounds. Two very deep sword wounds that went across most of his chest and abdomen required surgery to repair the massive damage to skin, bone, muscle tissue and organs. The cause of his low blood pressure was the blood loss, Chase wondered how he was even still alive.

Going to the younger patient, the boy's clothes were already discarded to prepare him for emergency surgery. A long slash along his abdomen was as deep and bad as the first patient. The wound that was more concerning was a stab wound that went through his chest just below his heart and exiting his back, very close to his spine. Also having massive blood loss, they both needed surgery immediately. Talking to the only female lab tech, Chase ordered, "Go ahead and get their pre-op vitals."

Busy with his notes, Chase also uselessly directed some other soldiers to move a huge crystal into one of the other labs. When his other technician joined Doctor Chase next to the blond patient, the large metal swinging doors closed, blocking his view of Hojo. He didn't care about a crystal anyway, that was not in his job description; his job was a medical Doctor.

Hojo soon entered and he informed him of the condition of the Professor's newest toys, "Both patients need surgery immediately, before they lose any more blood."

Without turning his head from his present distraction Hojo ordered, "Well, then do what you're being paid so well to do then." When Hojo turned, he studied him, looking for any deceptions with his beady black eyes and said coldly with a greedy smile, "Do not let either of my specimens die. From now on, let's call them specimen C and specimen Z."

"Yes sir," Brady answered blandly, not knowing or caring one way or the other, Hojo's reasons.

* * *

_'It is so warm and I feel weightless'_

Zack opened his eyes and could see just blurs, goo, a gummy feeling substance covered his eyes, like Vaseline. Trying to rub his eyes, his arms were blocked from moving. Then there was something being held in his mouth, and it was choking him. Not being able to see much, he still tried to look around, trying to see where he was. Pulling with his arms again, they still didn't move from his sides. Looking down, he could see straps tying his hands at his sides and down toward his feet. Being in warm water, he floated upright in a large round tank of some sort. With his ankles also tied to the bottom of the tank, the straps on his extremities kept him from floating to the top. Air hoses and IV tubes hung from the tank's top.

About the time that panic started to set in he could see a man, no, two men standing in front of him. They were talking until one of the men stepped over to a panel in front of the tank and pushed a few buttons as the other one seemed to be writing down something on a clipboard.

When the water level started to go down, so did he. Feeling weakened, he wasn't used to that feeling and it scared him. As he slumped to the bottom of the tank he flailed against his bindings and ventilation tube, wanting desperately to gasp for air on his own. The white coat clad man who let the water out opened the tank and with help from another man, they flipped him over to his back and pulled the tube out of his throat, "I'm Doctor Chase, just relax."

The sound of the metal doors swinging open was followed by the bark of Hojo entering the room, "Oh, specimen Z is awake I see."

Coughing and trying to take in deep breaths, fear crept into his gut at the sound of the voice. Trying to push himself up to a sitting position, he noticed his nakedness but his larger alarm was that his wounds were completely healed. Starting to shiver, he finally was able to find his fractured voice through a raw throat, "Hojo? What is going on? Where are we?"

"There will plenty of time to talk later specimen Z. We will begin as soon as you and your friend feel up to it," Hojo smirk didn't make him feel any better about the situation.

"My friend?" Zack looked around and just to his left was another tank just like the one he was in. Seeing Cloud floating in water and unconscious with his wrists and ankles tied to the bottom of his tank just like his. Little white discs with wires were stuck to him, a ventilation tube was inserted into his mouth and he had an IV. One of the IV tubes had the eerie green glow of mako, "Why are you calling me specimen Z? You know what my name is you creepy bastard."

Zack's confusion seemed to not be getting any clearer. In fact, he was more confused now than he was before. The doctor who let the water out came back and inserted a needle into his shoulder, untied his wrists and ankles, took out his IV and disconnected all the leads that attached to his temples, chest, neck and abdomen. Wanting to get away from the stranger, he just couldn't seem to get his body to cooperate with him and that just added to his current stress level.

Looking over at Cloud, his head jerked a little to the side, then Hojo spoke again, "Well, it looks like specimen C will be waking up soon as well. Excellent!" Hojo quietly cackled to himself as he covered his mouth with the back of his hand. It was a common thing that he always did and made him look even more like the evil scientist.

Feverishly, he tried to remember what happened that got him in to this. First they went on the mission to Nibelheim. Then he was at the reactor and fighting Sephiroth, his thoughts rambled, _'Now I remember, Sephiroth's last attack almost killed me and Cloud came in and went after him. Later, he came out of the door, stumbling, holding his chest... Cloud killed Sephiroth! Then he collapsed on the stairs right next me. Hojo showed up and then I woke up here. This is seriously messed up. Alright, Zack get a hold of yourself.'_

Two men who weren't any bigger than Zack came and picked him up and carried him over to a gurney, laying him on his side. Covering him with a thin sheet, they left the dank and depressing lab and went down a hallway that seemed just like it was out of the horror movie that he and Aerith watched a week before he left. She hadn't wanted to watch it, but he promised her a foot massage.

They came to what looked like a prison cell in a loony bin, "Anyone wanna tell me what's going on?" Zack asked nervously, "What are your names?" They said nothing while they picked him up and tossed him on a bed and took the sheet with them, "Ouch!"

Sitting up slowly, fighting off dizziness, he looked around at his new surroundings. From his bed he noticed that it felt like a hospital room but with a much less comfortable bed. The bed was a little wider than a single, but the mattress was only about 2 inches thick. There was another bed that was the mirror image across from his. Cold white tiles covered the floor and walls in the fairly large room, it looked to him that it was about the size of his bedroom in his apartment back at Shinra. A small bathroom doorway on the back wall and all he could see from where he sat, was a sink in a small counter. The real bonus was the small round mirror set into the wall above the sink.

Cold, naked with the added water droplets that hadn't yet dried on his skin didn't alleviate any fears of his. Blowing into his hands, he rubbed them together to help fight the cold. There was no sheet on the mattress, no blanket and no pillow. He laid his head back down and looked at the ceiling, there was a large fluorescent light to high for him to reach. One of the two long light tubes was burning out and it flashed and twitched on and off. He kind of laughed a little. Why he thought it was funny, he had no idea. Stress and fear played a major role in being hysterical he learned from some of his classes while in SOLDIER.

Before he could get too far into his analysis of his own psyche, the shot they gave him was pulling him into a dream…

_"Scary movies scare me Zack."_

_"That is what they're supposed to do silly."_

_"Yeah but…"_

_"I'm here and I will never let anything happen to you. There is not a monster alive that will get near you."_

_"You're so cute when you say things like that."_

_"I bet I'll be even cuter when that monster is chasing you!"_

_"Oh you!" Aerith slapped at his arm in that playful way that he liked._

_"Okay, how about I will… massage your feet."_

_"Really?"_

_"Unless they stink and then no deal!" Zack smiled._

_"You're terrible!" Aerith giggled._

_Tilting his head a little, he did his best puppy dog face. Very few people could resist that face and he knew it._

_"Alright, scary movie it is, but it better be a really good massage."_

_"I will have you know that I give the best foot massages, even Sephiroth thinks so."_

_"Oh you are so bad!"_

_After laughing and getting slapped again, he reached up, he marveled at how dainty she was, as his hands covered each side of her head. Pulling her closer, his lips touched hers so softly as she leaned into him. The kiss turned to a more passionate one as his hand glided down to her shoulder, embracing her with deeper meaning._

_Feeling her hands going around his waist, and up his back was almost to much as it sent warmth throughout his body. With slow deliberate movements, she guided her hands up under his shirt and pulled it from him effortlessly. With tiny kisses and small bites leaving soft red marks, they trailed down her neck to her collar bone. Slipping his fingers under the straps of her dress they fell down the soft curve of her shoulders._

_When making eye contact with her, he could feel the love flowing through his veins. Smiling to each other, he leaned into another kiss when her eyes lit up like a fireworks display. He was at her mercy and always was._

_Laying her down slowly in the flowers, he kissed down her chest between her breasts and down to her soft porcelain stomach. When he looked up at her, he came back to her parted lips. Looking into her beautiful green eyes, he waited for her to let him know it was okay to go further. Getting her answer to his unasked question, her hands found their way to his waist band, as he was finding his way around her bra._

_Soon he was lying right next to her propped up on his elbow, kissing her neck and ear. A calloused and rough feeling hand softly rounded her waist as he pulled her closer to him. When a small moan of arousal parted her lips, she looked up and smiled that fabulous smile and it was directed to him and only him. Love, he knew that he was in love with her and wanted her forever, in fact he could see himself married to her one day. Never had he felt this way about anyone. It was not their first time with each other, but it always felt like the first time._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Instead of writing the word out like SOLDIER, I have opted to just capitalize the first letter. (Regular infantry soldiers will not have a capital so that will distinguish the difference.) To me, sometimes I just find it distracting if I see the word a few lines down and my eyes are drawn down to it instead of the line I'm on.
> 
> There is a poker game in the flashback and I'm not real sure on how to play. I think I got it right, if not, sorry, just pretend.
> 
> I want to thank my fantastic beta SubZeroChimera from FFnet!

"He who devotes sixteen hours a day to hard study may become at sixty as wise as he thought himself at twenty." –Mary Wilson Little

 

Chapter 2

Waking to the sound of a door opening, he looked to see that it was a slightly shorter man than him, well-muscled with dirty blond hair. Weirdly enough, he was walking backward and carrying someone's pale legs. Another man who was slightly taller than the silent blond and muscled, but with a little pudgy stomach, followed behind with pale shoulders. The man's dark brown hair parted down the middle showed the beginnings of a bald spot on the top of his head.

Sitting up and looking over at them, the naked man covered himself and watched them curiously, then he recognized that they were the same ones that brought him from the lab to the cell. The man who was carrying the legs looked around a little nervously but the second guy said with quiet confidence, "We're not supposed to talk to ya'll but... my name is Davis."

Zack's nervousness made his voice slightly quiver, "Please tell me what's going on." Looking over to the other bed, they put Cloud on it as _gently_ as they had him. Davis and the silent guy turned and left without another word. The silent one took the sheet that covered Cloud with him as they left.

Calling his name, he ran on tip toes across the arctic cold tiles over to see Cloud, still groggy and his eyes were rolling around aimlessly. With a sigh, he relaxed at the thought of him at least still being alive.

Having a little more strength back, he decided to explore his new 'home away from home'. That thought made him let out a nervous little scoff. The entrance to the bathroom sat situated in the corner of the back wall. Stepping into the room, he passed the sink, then the toilet to the shower stall at the other end. No towels or anything at all to put on. Damn he was cold and it felt like he was getting colder. With his feet cold enough that he couldn't really feel them anymore he explored the heavy metal door that served as the entrance to the cell. A little window about the size of his face was at eye level. ' _Very welcoming_ ' he thought to himself sarcastically. He couldn't see through it, so he guessed that their captors would be able to see in. Heading back over to his bed, he lay back down and curled up and waited for Cloud to wake up.

Not having to wait too much longer, Cloud sat up slowly and looked around at his new surroundings. Noticing Zack across the room, he blushed when he noticed his friend across from him, and naked.

"Geez, Zack, put something on would ya?" Cloud said as he rubbed his forehead and eyes.

Zack sat up at the movement and sentence from his friend, "I could say the same thing about you, buddy," The former Soldier said with some amusement in his tone.

Cloud looked down and blushed even more and tried to cover himself. After swallowing down some of his embarrassment, the blond asked, "Where are we?"

Zack started speaking to Cloud, but then ended by addressing their captors, if they were listening, "Don't know, but it sure is cold and we sure could use some clothes and blankets in here!"

Trying to stay calm, the infantry soldier searched his memory for what might be going on, "I remember some tanks and water. You?" Cloud was visibly shaking from the cold and maybe a little anxiety to top it off.

"Yeah, I woke up while you were still in that tank. No one told me anything except our new names," Zack rubbed his arms with his hands trying to warm up.

"What new names?" Cloud asked puzzled.

"Yeah, I'm specimen Z, your specimen C. Real original, I know," Zack immediately regretted saying that when Cloud just looked at him with puzzled eyes. He realized that he was going to have to remember that Cloud was just a kid and scared. Hell, he was scared too, but he had to be strong for his friend. Cloud was looking to Zack to fix it and he was going to fix it, even if it killed him. Trying to back pedal his statement, he added, "Not that it means anything. We won't be here for very long, I'm sure of it."

* * *

The four soldiers that carried the crystal into the lab were standing around the crystal studying it. The more curious, but clumsy, Private Barber sat down on the floor next to it to re-tie his boot that had come untied when he stepped on the lace.

"Damn Barber," said Specialist Abbot, "Born a klutz, die a klutz!"

Barber just chuckled in a mocking tone while the other soldiers laughed, leaving a smirk on his young face.

"Hell, you almost dropped that crystal and got us all in trouble," Private Stringer added to the insults.

Barber stood up and faced the others, "Yeah? Well I didn't drop it now did I?" Knowing his argument was useless, he still felt the need to defend himself against his friends and peers.

Laughing loudly, Private Lawrence said, "Yeah, thanks to us!" Finishing up with a jovial slap to Abbot's shoulder.

Barber just stood there and shook his head in defeat.

When Hojo came in the room, he was a man on a serious mission and made a B-line toward the laughing soldiers. Glaring at them until they backed away, Hojo turned his attention to the crystal, checking it over for damage.

Barber and the others scattered in two different directions. Unfortunately the lack of grace that Barber was born with, tripped him up on a hose that went across the floor. It went to a tank that looked like the other ones in lab 2 only this tank was on its side. It resembled a big clear coffin. Of course, the other three soldiers started a whole new set of laughter as Barber tried to right himself before he broke something. Catching himself next to a large vat of what looked like mako in it, sure it stopped his fall, but the vat cracked down the side, 'Oh Shit' was the less than helpful thought in Barber's mind.

Snapping over to Barber quicker than he ever moved before, Hojo got up close to his face and said in a threatening tone, "Get out of here, _if_ you can leave without breaking something else. If you do break anything else, I will have your job and maybe even your head!" As the last part came out of Hojo's mouth he could swear that he saw an evil flicker behind those eyes. Stringer, Abbot and Lawrence came around to Barber, being chastised, and grabbed his arm to pull him along with them. As they left out the door, Hojo cackled to himself and repeated, "And your head!"

Standing out in the hallway, waiting for further instructions they all just stared at Barber until Stringer said jokingly, "This is becoming a habit. You know, rescuing you from certain doom!" Muffled laughter erupted from the other two.

Barber wasn't amused and downright alarmed, "He seemed _so_ serious. Didn't you see and hear it too?" Asked the soldier that was the center of amusement.

"No. I was too busy watching to see if you were going to fall into the tub of raw mako," responded Lawrence trying not to laugh.

Under his breath, Barber reaffirmed, "Well I think I'm gonna steer clear of him."

"Probably a good idea," Abbot continued, "We don't know how long we're going to be stationed here and getting on his bad side from the start is definitely not in your best interests."

After a long pause, "I wonder if those other guys that we picked up survived?" asked Stringer.

"Don't know, but I think I know the dark-haired one though," Abbot continued, "If he is who I think he is, we were on a mission and I was with the squad that was his back-up. He's a Soldier first class. Awesome in battle… Zack Fair. He always seemed like such a nice guy, but when battle started, he was all business."

"Do you know the other one?" Stringer asked.

"I do," Piped up Lawrence, "We were in basic training together. Private Strife. We didn't get along very well."

"Hey, you guys, you two go guard the front door to the mansion and you two guard the entrance to the lab sectors," Ordered the Sergeant in charge.

Quickly Stringer and Abbot headed for the front door and Barber and Lawrence went to the entrance to the labs.

* * *

As two of his techs entered the room their eyes locked on Hojo. Caressing the crystal as if trying to comfort it, he talked quietly to it, but they couldn't tell what he was saying. Looking at each other, they shrugged their shoulders and went to their workstations.

Wolfe was an excellent lab assistant. Excellent in the way that he did whatever he was asked and never questioned. The man was a superior's wet dream all wrapped up in a package that strongly resembled Burton. Not really knowing a lot of what they would be doing there at the labs, he was willing to please his superiors in any way they wanted or needed. Of course that creeped Harding out to no end.

Harding on the other hand, knew that no good could come from Hojo. He was well aware of what kind of man Hojo was. Originally joining the resistance in hopes of helping the planet, he had no idea how deep he could get until the phone call that brought him here to the Nibelheim mansion. Being the only Physician's Assistant, he was so far being underutilized. Sooner or later, he would be in possession of something that could be useful.

So far since he got there, all he saw was a Soldier and an infantryman. Harding considered both his enemy, but he needed to separate himself from his emotions so he was able to get the information necessary for the resistance's mission. In doing that, it would need him doing things to these men that Hojo saw as an everyday and perfectly sane thing to do. After all, the way Hojo's thinking went, he didn't know how no one had their own laboratory/torture chamber in every basement though out the suburbs.

Now he was in front of this crystal, he couldn't tell who or what was in it, but Hojo seemed to know and he was almost over the top excited.

"Alright, you two come over here; you need to put this crystal into the tank in a mako bath," Hojo ordered.

Pointing to his own chest, raising his eyebrows, Harding's anger at the implication of manual labor was at the forefront. A short glaring contest ensued between Harding and the Professor until Hojo's glare became something less than human.

Finally complying, the crystal was very heavy and still on the heavy-duty metal stretcher the soldiers brought it in on. Slinging the straps attached to the crane that lowered from the heavy-duty framework on the ceiling, under the crystal and securing them in place went smoothly. The soldiers that brought it in, however, had it perfectly balanced in a precarious and dangerous position on the carrier and it was just waiting for an opportunity to fall. When it slid off to one side, it trapped Harding between one of the larger jagged edges and the floor. The naturally sharp edge sliced into his calf muscle and hot liquid pain followed.

Aggravated, Hojo phoned Dr. Chase to come to Lab 1 immediately. Sighing in annoyance, he waited until Chase entered and began to assess Harding's injuries. Looking over to two of the three guards that came with him, the Doctor ordered, "Davis, Drake, come move this crystal."

Watching the Professor closely, the painstakingly way he displayed his impatience, did nothing for Harding's own desire to not be there right then. If Hojo had tasked him to do something within his job description, he would be relatively pain-free and for sure not pinned to the floor. His blood wouldn't be leaking slowly out instead of staying inside his body, the way Gaia intended.

"Carefully!" Hojo added.

Operating the crane Davis slowly lifted the crystal a few inches at a time and once Harding's leg was pulled from under the crystal, Wolfe took over at the controls. Davis and Drake, the muscle who guarded the prisoners, picked Harding up and moved him to the infirmary while Dr. Chase quickly followed.

The third guard, Charles, stayed behind to help with Harding's duties. Moving the crystal into the tank that laid on its side went without another incident. Wolfe emptied the contents of the vat that Banner had cracked into the tank with the crystal.

When Hojo went to the control panel for the tank, he raised it upright, "You there. Wheel this vat out of here and dispose of it." Hojo ordered Charles indicating the cracked vat. Thankfully the vat cracked but did not leak. As Charles left, Hojo eyed the tank, "Yes, very good." Leaning in closer to the tank that had the eerie green glow of mako he whispered, "We will make everything right again."

* * *

Zack and Cloud were sitting in their cell for what seemed like days but it was really only hours. Trying to get some sleep was out of the question, their shivering from the cold kept them from getting any real sleep. Lying on his side, Cloud's shivering had turned into shaking uncontrollably. Facing Zack, the blond kept his eyes closed, trying harder to fall asleep.

When Zack looked at him, he saw just how young he really was. 'Damn it!' Zack cursed himself, he felt like he is the one who got them into this mess. Cloud didn't have to be involved at all. He could have run and gotten away, gotten help somewhere. However, knowing Cloud, he would never have left. Sephiroth had taken everything from him, his mother, his home and his girl. Zack really couldn't blame Cloud for wanting justice, but was it really worth the price they were paying now?

Zack got up and walked over to Cloud and nudged the pale shoulder with the back of his hand, "Hey Buddy, sit up."

Opening his deep blue eyes, it sank Zack's gut at the panicked look behind those eyes. When Cloud sat up, Zack sat down next to him and started to put his arms around him. Alarmed, Cloud jerked back quickly and tried to push the larger man away, "What are you doing?!"

Zack smirked, "Easy there Spike, don't flatter yourself."

Cloud raised a questioning eyebrow, "You don't think it's a little weird?"

"You're not exactly who I want to be naked with," Zack sighed patiently, "Listen... your cold, I'm cold… just shut up and cuddle with me already," Zack's added half-smile almost made him chuckle at the confounded look that crossed the blonde's young features.

Slowly, Cloud leaned his side closer to Zack and let him finish wrapping his arms around him. Cloud kept his arms across his own chest, but lowered his head slightly to fit better against the larger chest. After a few minutes, sure enough, he was starting to warm up a little. Trying to relax, Zack leaned his back to the wall, put his chin on top of Cloud's head and closed his eyes.

"Z…Zack?"

"Hmm?"

"What do they want with us?"

"...Don't know…"

"You think we will get out of here?"

"Oh definitely. I always have a plan," Zack said with a small grin.

"Humph...Yeah…I know how your plans work," Cloud said between his diminishing shivers.

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Zack grinned bigger knowing exactly what Cloud was talking about.

* * *

_It had been about six months since they had met on the mission to Modeoheim. Zack was back to his normal self after the loss of his mentor and friend Angeal. Cloud and Zack had become friends like they had grown up together. Cloud still couldn't understand how Zack saw him as a friend. The larger man was out going, fun, loud, a people person and a ladies man. Cloud on the other hand was quiet and kept to himself for the most part. However when the First Class would show up, Cloud was always happy to see him._

_On their off weekend, the infantryman knocked on the door to dark haired Soldier's room one evening. Answering the door wearing a pair of exercise shorts and a t-shirt, Zack's smile broadened when he saw his friend._

" _Hey Zack, I brought a few snacks," Cloud said as he entered when Zack stepped aside._

_Not having to wait too much longer, Kunsel and another guy and fellow Soldier and friend of Zack and Kunsel's showed up and they got down to business. Rick, being a big red-headed Second Class was soon to follow in Zack's footsteps in his promotion to First. Still having a slight grudge against Zack for the dare that cost him three of his fingers, but in a way, he thanked the kid-like fun-loving guy, now his expertise was materia. Magic was something he didn't know he would be any good at, but here he was on the verge of a specialty that very few Soldiers had._

_Now, sitting across from Zack, he grinned as he won another hand of cards._

_Game after game, each one of the guys took turns winning but then Zack decided to open his mouth, "Hey, let's make this more interesting."_

_Chewing on a large piece of beef jerky, Rick asked, "Sounds cool. How?"_

_Dealing out the next hand, Kunsel asked halfheartedly glancing between Cloud and Zack, "How about the winner dares the loser to something."_

" _That sounds awesome," Rick took a drink of his beer._

_Dipping a chip in the dip, Cloud glanced around nervously, "Uh, can't we just play the way we've been playing?" He didn't want to call attention to it, but he was the one losing the most and knowing this group, there was no telling what they would come up with._

" _Pfft! Come on Cloud, stop being such a downer," Kunsel sideways grinned at the blond and raised his eyebrows at Zack, "Well, let's make it a deal unless you don't agree."_

" _Sounds great," Watching Kunsel deal out their cards for the next hand, Zack glanced over to the blond and noticed that a few sweat beads were making their way down his temples. With a grin, he made his first bet, "I'll bet 20."_

_Rick rubbed his chin and looked at his hand and up at Zack's smiling face, "I'll see your bet and raise you another 20."_

_Kunsel looked at Zack, then Cloud._ __Tapping his finger on his lips, Kunsel studied his cards and took his time, "I'll see your bet and raise you 40." Moving_ his part of the bet in, he waited.  
_

_All three pairs of eyes went to Cloud's wildly anxious face. With all of them still looking at him, he asked a little angrily, "What?!" Feeling the pressure, he moved his gil in to see the bet and slowly looked over his cards._

" _Nothing, okay. Well, I'll go ahead and call it then," Zack waited and then when they all lay their cards down it was revealed. Zack had three of a kind, Kunsel had a straight and Rick held a royal flush._

_With Rick's smile not getting any smaller he asked, "Well Cloud, what do ya got?"_

_Slowly laying his hand down, it showed a pair of 2s. Quickly slamming his head to his folded arms on the table, he spoke in a muffled tone, "I knew this would happen."_

_Zack smacked Cloud on the back, "Hey, I'm sure that Rick won't come up with anything really bad, I mean look at him. I doubt a well thought out plan has ever crossed his mind."_

_Shooting a glare at the raven haired man, Cloud knew what strange and off the wall things that these men could think of and that statement just sealed his fate. Feelings of dread shivering up his spine, he slapped Zack in the arm, "Shut up! You're going to get me in even deeper!" Dropping his eyes, Zack fiddled with his fingers and waited for the verdict._

" _Oh, really Zack?" Rick got up and opened another beer. Kunsel got up and went closer to the kitchenette where they whispered for several minutes. With huge smiles, they looked at the two men who still sat at the table._

" _Okay, since you are so fond of my ideas Zack, Cloud's dare has to include you too."_

" _Hey wait a minute! I didn't lose the hand," Zack stood and put his hands on his hips._

" _Oh, it won't be that bad for you, because Cloud is going to need some help," Rick put his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his palms, "Okay, here we go. Zack, that big party for Rufus' birthday is coming up this coming weekend, right?"_

_Pinching his eyebrows together while he almost questioned insecurely, "Yeah?" Zack's fidgeting got a little more noticeable. Cloud kept his head down on the table._

" _Here's the deal, the dare is that Cloud has to go and get in a picture with Rufus," High fiving, the two Second Class Soldiers laughed out loud and Kunsel smiled behind his beer as the blond wanted to slink off the table and to the floor.  
_

_Cloud paused a minute, raised his head and stared at him, pushing his eyebrows together, "What?!"_

" _I wasn't invited and besides, I already have a date that night, sorry. You're going to have to find something else to torture Spike," Crossing his arms, Zack stared at his gloating friends._

" _Didn't I hear you on the phone with Aerith earlier? She's leaving town or something that weekend with her mother?" Rick leaned back and crossed his arms and grinned._

_Kunsel grinned and lifted his drink, "I saw your invitation at your apartment, it is for you plus one."_

_Zack's face and arms dropped, he looked at Cloud and murmured, "Oh, hell…"_

_Cloud's mouth dropped open and he quickly looked around,_ _"_ _What are you…huh-wait…?" Cloud stuttered then whispered, "We're guys, people will think that we're... you know... a couple."_

__Kunsel smiled from behind his beer and added with glee, "Don't worry about that Cloud, n__ ___o one will know it's you, because_ you'll be dressed like a girl." _ _

__Zack half expected Cloud to hit the floor with that news, but he couldn't look at the blond bundle of anger, so he bit his lips closed to stifle the laughter._ _

" _Oh come on! You guys are being unreasonable," Cloud pleaded, "Can't we do something else?!"_

" _It's okay Spike, we will get in there and get back out before anyone really notices us," Zack tried reassuring his friend, but the blond wore a defeated look on his face._

 _The next day, Zack found the despondent infantryman alone in the almost deserted mess hall. Waking up that morning, he felt better about the situation than Cloud did. But then again, he wasn't the one who had to wear a dress. Looking up from his hot cereal-turned cold, Cloud sadly greeted the dark-haired First,_ " _Hi."  
_

_Walking over to the sulking boy, he tried to explain himself, "I'm sorry I said anything to him, but I've been thinking about it and I have a plan."_

_"I figured, but I don't know if I want to hear what you have to say…" Cloud slouched, pushed his tray away and lay his head down on his arms.  
_

" _I brought you something that might cheer you up," Pulling out a chair, Zack plopped down._

" _What is it?" Cloud mumbled._

_Opening the box, Zack said as he revealed the contents, "My mom sent me a care package. Wanna know what she sent me?"_

_Cloud lifted his head slowly and focused on the now open box._

_"Homemade Chocoberry Pie!" As if by magic, the Soldier produced two forks and handed one to his friend._

_Taking one of the forks, Cloud sank it into the soft crust on the top, scooping up a healthy bite and tasting it. Closing his eyes, he moaned as he savored the taste, "How do they expect me to pass as a girl?"_

_Leaning his elbows on the table, Zack scooped up some of the pie and ate his bite, also with a moan, "Well," Swallowing hard, he tried a compliment, "Your pretty…uh…in a good way!" Cloud huffed and rolled his eyes, "I've got a plan and Kunsel is going shopping with us. We can do this, I know we can," Zack said with a confident smile._

"… _Fine…" Cloud cautiously agreed._

" _Great," Zack affirmed with his remarkably comforting smile._


	3. Chapter 3

"Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results." -Albert Einstein

Chapter 3

" _Calm down Zack, I really don't think that you will get in too much trouble for crashing Rufus' party. I mean geez, did you see how many people were going to be there tonight?" Kunsel stacked his feet on the coffee table._

_Just as he started to lose hope, there was a knock at the door, "Yes!" He exclaimed with a fist pump and when he opened the door, grabbed Cloud's arm and yanked him into the room. Cloud's head whipped back at the sudden forward movement. Shutting the door in a hurry, the well-dressed man once again leaned against the door._

_Cloud rubbed the back of his now sore neck, "Ouch."_

_Sheepishly grinning, Zack apologized, "Oh, sorry."_

_"I waited until some other Soldiers were gone before I came to the door," Cloud said flatly. Noticing Zack, already dressed and ready to go surprised him at how well his friend cleaned up. Luckily, it wasn't a military event, so the average black tuxedo that Zack wore actually looked really good on him. Then he took a look at the apartment and it looked just like it did when he had been over for the game, messy. The raven-haired bachelor said that the messes made it look comfortable._

_Zack looked him up and down and in a calmer tone than the earlier one, "Well shall we get started?"_

_"... I guess… so…"_

_Zack clapped his hands together and almost hop-skipped into his bedroom. The Soldier figured if they had to do this, he might as well make the best of it._

_Cloud followed, head hanging down as his feet shuffled loudly on the carpet. Kunsel smiled as he watched the young blond, "Hey don't look so down Cloud, it could always be worse."_

_Raising his head, Cloud restrained himself from yelling, "How could it be any worse?"_

" _Well one thing, you would have to have a picture with Rufus and Sephiroth. Right now, it is just one of them," Kunsel leaned forward and picked up the camera and tossed it to Zack. Kunsel stealthily pulled his phone from his pocket and set it near his leg.  
_

_"Oh… yay, that makes it sooo much better..." Cloud retorted._

_Ignoring the sour attitude from his blond friend, Zack began taking things out of his closet. The knee-length dress was off-white with royal blue embroidering in the shapes of leaves and vines. The embroidering started at the bottom of the gently flared skirt and waved up as it tapered off at the bust. It had sleeves that went to just below his elbows and the front went all the way up to the neck. The back of the dress had a dip in fabric with extra material made from a sheer material the royal blue color as the embroidering on the front of the dress. That little extra pizazz was going to show more than half of Cloud's back._

_With a grin, he added, "I hope you shaved your legs," As he shut the door, Zack finished "Okay, I'll be in the living room if you need any help."_

_Cloud looked at Zack and smirked sarcastically at him, knowing full well, that his legs weren't hairy, which was one of the things that fueled the teasing from the other soldiers._

_Zack shut the door and Cloud just looked over the array of items. Beginning to undress, he started to go through some of the things. Some things he didn't know what they were for, "Hey Zack, what is this for? I already have underwear."_

_He stuck it out the door for Zack to see, "Oh that! Yeah… um, tuck your junk!"_

_"Tuck my junk?" Cloud asked himself under his breath, "Great…this should be comfortable. Well at least that's not girly."_

_As he wiggled himself into the 'underwear' that was about 3 sizes to small he yelped at the pinching, "I think you got the wrong size, these are way too small!" He yelled at Zack._

_"Oh no, they have got to be small so nothing shows up!" Zack said with a small smile on his face and it showed in his voice too._

_Fully amused, the two Soldiers heard through the door, "I hate you!"_

_Bursting into quiet laughter and a clink of beer bottles with Kunsel, Zack couldn't help but picture the fight that Cloud was putting up to get in the super-tight tidy-whities._

_Back in the bedroom, Cloud started on the pantyhose, then the slip, but the bra, with that he had difficulty. So that the back clasp of the bra didn't show from the dip in the back of the dress, Zack had gotten one that was strapless and went down to the waist. Fighting with it, trying to get it clasp together, he tried turning it around to clasped it in the front. When he turned it so the clasp was in the back, a couple of the hooks came undone. Turning back so he could study the problem, he noticed that the hooks were bent a little and didn't completely hook around the small metal loop that that particular hook was supposed to go to._

_Thinking that this was a way out it, he took a breath to call it off to Zack when the hooks slipped unimpeded onto the loop. In a huff, he exhaled and blew his bangs from his face and cursed quietly, "Gaia-dammit."_

_Grabbing the rolled socks, he stuffed his 'boobs' but noticed that he couldn't see his feet, "Maybe two pairs of socks per boob are too big." Taking out a pair on each side it left his bust at a modest size. Of course he preferred big breasts and he wanted to get his hands on Tifa's big... Freezing in place, the extra small underwear began to get smaller. In a louder volume, he cursed, "Fuck!"_

_"Spiky? Is everything okay in there?"_

_When the door began to creep open, Cloud grabbed his crotch and leaped at the door, shutting it in Zack's face. In hastiness, he yelled, "Yes! No! I mean... Go away!" That was all Cloud needed was Zack and Kunsel thinking that dressing as a girl turned him on, he had to get this under control quickly._

_Going into the bathroom, farther from the bedroom door, he leaned on the counter and began whispering to his unruly dick. The tight underwear was getting tighter and began cutting off circulation, "Listen," Unwilling to pull them down because he would never get them back on he continued, "This is not going to happen right now," Getting a drink of water, he tried picturing his grandmother sitting in her large overstuffed living room chair just before she died. That was the night she gave him her wedding ring to give to his future wife. Cloud had never known his Grandfather, but from the fond memories she shared, he was a kind man._

_Getting his body back under control, he picked up the dress and turned it around, flipped it over and seemed to start back at the beginning. Growling in frustration, he slammed the dress on the bed, then he saw what he was looking for. Slipping the dress over his head, he whispered, "How did I get myself into this?" Rubbing the material down his sides and legs, it smoothed out and lay flatteringly against his body, "Oh yeah, I remember, I suck at poker."_

_The shoes weren't flats, as much as his protests at the store went in deaf ears. Both Kunsel and Zack overrode his bid for flats and instead, they picked four inch heels. His practice walk at the store was full of laughter, mainly because of his lack of grace. After about an hour, he finally got the hang of it to a round of applause that he quickly squashed when he threw one of the shoes. When Zack ducked, the high heel knocked over a display of pantyhose and they decided that they should leave when the sales girl crossed her arms and threatened to call the police.  
_

_Back in the bathroom, he flipped the wig on and the long process of tucking his spiky hair under the dark blond shoulder length hair. Sighing at his reflection, he shook his head and readied himself for the juvenile remarks that Zack and Kunsel were sure to throw at him._

_Opening the bedroom door, Zack was speechless at first, but it didn't last long. Zack couldn't help himself as he let slip from behind his hand that covered the huge smile and muffled a laugh. Cloud glared at him and Zack squeezed out between snickers, "Oh now, don't get mad," holding his hands up in surrender, "We need to get your make up done and get your earrings on," Zack said as a flashbulb of the camera phone went off._

_In a fit of angry yelling, Cloud shrieked, "Damn it Kunsel! No pictures until we get to the party!"_

_With a grin, Kunsel pocketed his phone and stood to help get the young infantryman ready by b_ _rushing out some of the noticeable tangles and fixed the subtle curls of the soft wig so he didn't look like he'd been through a wind storm._

_Fidgeting at the added attention from Kunsel, Cloud turned his eyes back to Zack_ _while he applied the make-up. The dark-haired Soldier unconsciously commented out loud to the fuming blond, "It's a good thing you don't really have to shave yet." Zack ignored the tight scowl he received and ordered, "Stop making faces, you're gonna mess me up."_

_Clenching his jaw tight, Cloud remarked, "All of you guys are already messed up."_

_After everything was finished, Cloud stepped to the coffee table to get his purse and when he bent over, his super small underwear shifted and he hollered, "Oww! Freakin underwear!" Bouncing around, he groped at himself trying to stop the pinching in his nether region. The two Soldiers laughed and Cloud shouted, "Hey… I got a problem here! Don't laugh!"_

_Zack said very matter of fact, but with a hint of a smile, "You're gonna have to act a little more feminine than that."_

_"It's your fault! The underwear is too small and it… pinches!" Making a trip back to the bathroom, he fixed the problem undies._

_Once his problem was fixed, he started to relax a little about the situation, until Zack spoke in a semi suave voice, "You know, if you're a good girl, you might get lucky tonight." Snorting laughter erupted from both Soldiers as Cloud ignored them and Zack shut the door leaving an utterly humored Kunsel to lock up when he left to go back to his own room._

_Stomping down the hall, Cloud ignored him as Zack hollered, "Hey, don't walk away, I'm sorry."_

_Cloud clenched his fists and if his eyes could have shot lasers, Zack would be a pile of smoldering flesh on the floor. Once Zack got himself under some form of control, he took Cloud's arm and they walked to the courtyard. Stopping just short of the door, Cloud moved to the window that led to the corridor leading to the reception hall and peeked through it._

_Zack slowly walked up with his hands in his pockets, "_ _I guess it's now or never," At the beginning feeling of butterflies in his stomach, Zack almost second guessed himself about crashing this party. He really didn't want to get on Sephiroth's bad side if he found out._

_"Can I choose never?"_

" _Sorry Spiky, we can't renege on this or we might never be trusted again," Grabbing the dress clad man, he spun him around, "Reneging on a bet goes against, you know, Soldier honor and all."_

" _Fine, let's just get this over with," Cloud moved his head back and forth over his shoulders trying to loosen the tightened muscles in his neck._

" _Now remember, we are going to try to find Rufus as soon as possible," Adjusting his jacket, Zack offered his arm to his date._

_Cloud took Zack's arm, "Remember, we're in this because of you and your big mouth, you know that right?" The Soldier didn't respond, he knew it was true._

_As they walked in, Cloud was in awe at the sight of all the people in their best dressed. Zack escorted him over to the drinks and ordered two. Handing Cloud a fruity looking drink colored blue and a tiny twig of a blue flower in it. Just holding the drink out in front of his chest, Zack looked at the drink and then Cloud, "What's the matter? You don't want a drink?"_

_Whispering loudly, Cloud narrowed his eyes, "Really? You got me a girly looking drink?"_

_Leaning comfortably on the bar, Zack's lips turned up in a faint, but endearing smile, "In case you didn't look in a mirror before we left the apartment… for tonight you are a girl."_

_Resigning to the drink he was handed, he held it up to his nose and all he could smell was alcohol. Taking a test sip, the cold beverage swirled around in his mouth, and then he could taste it, his favorite, chocoberry. Nudging Zack with his elbow, he asked, "They have chocoberry flavored drinks?"_

_The huge smile on the taller man answered his question, but then Zack started talking to one of the party guests that walked up to him. After short introductions, Cloud continued to look around mesmerized. Everything was decorated very elegantly and he had never seen anything like it. Dark red and gold linens and tapestries and a dark red carpet covered the room. Soft music played in the background and the sound of quiet conversation filled the air._

_While looking around, Cloud finally saw HIM. The General, Sephiroth, his childhood hero and he was looking right at them. Cloud looked around to see if he happened to be looking at someone else next to him, but the dress wearing infantryman and his fun loving friend were the only ones in the vicinity right then. Sephiroth was standing directly across the room from them and the General noticed a look of recognition and admiration._

" _Oh, my Gaia, -t-there's S-S-Sephiroth…" Cloud's mouth hung open as his arm squeezed Zack's unconsciously._

_"Yeah, you knew he would be here, didn't you?" Glancing to his friend, it was obvious that Cloud was caught in his wildest childhood dreams of wanting to actually be Sephiroth. Reaching over, Zack lifted Cloud's chin so that he was looking directly in his face, but the deep blue eyes stayed glued to the General. With a mild shake, the Soldier broke the spell, "It is time to go on inside the main room. I bet good money that Rufus is in there somewhere," Zack finished, "You ready?"_

_Pausing, Cloud swallowed and cleared his throat, "You mean this isn't it?" Zack shook his head and Cloud asked rhetorically, "Of course not. How could I get that lucky?" Leaving their empty glasses on the bar, Cloud took the arm that his date offered. There was a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the half illuminated room. Smaller chandeliers spotted around the larger one helped light the room. Music started up and people started to make their way to the dance floor on one side of the room._

_After several songs, Zack pulled on Cloud's arm, "Let's go dance."_

_Cloud pulled back, "I hate dancing."_

_Tugging forward again, Zack asked, "You know how, don't you?"_

_Again pulling away from the dance floor, Cloud grimaced, "Yes, I just hate dancing. My mother insisted that I learn how to."_

_Zack leaned in and whispered in Cloud's ear, "It won't be that bad, besides, I see Rufus," Zack pulled harder and Cloud followed, but not willingly._

_Leading Cloud to the middle of the dance floor, Zack pulled him close. Fighting back, the blond moved away from the taller man. Zack just doubled his efforts to pull him close. Finally relenting, but only because Zack was stronger, Cloud danced the tango with as little enthusiasm as possible. "I think you're enjoying this a little too much Zack," Cloud whispered and all he got in return was one of his famous smiles. Zack went gliding around the floor with flourish and Cloud just rolled his eyes and got pulled along for the ride._

_When the song finally ended, Cloud started to walk off the dance floor, but Zack grabbed his hand just as another song started up. Zack pulled him in close again with a "humph" escaping from the force that he was pulled into Zack's chest. The Soldier's smile made Cloud want to punch him right in the face, but he opted for a roll of his eyes and a sigh, "I swear, if you tell anybody about this-" Cloud started._

_"I know, I know, I promise I won't tell a soul," Zack interrupted. A few more steps of the dance and he looked down to his date in an inquisitive way, then he asked, "Did you take off that tight underwear?"_

_It wasn't that he was aroused or anything, it was just something that was not supposed to be there on a woman. Blushing brightly he glanced up and angrily whispered, "Well, if you really must know, they were pinching my balls and I almost lost my dick somewhere farther north than it should have been." When the song ended, they walked from the floor and stood by and watched for the President's elusive son._

_Leaning over, Zack whispered in Cloud's ear, "He has to be here somewhere. I lost sight of him half way through that second dance. Maybe he left?" Suddenly, Zack stopped and straightened his back._

_"May I get a dance with your lovely date Zackary?" A deep sensual voice from behind Cloud asked._

_Zack smiled the largest grin he had ever seen and then graciously offered his date to the General._

_Cloud narrowed his eyes at the Soldier and mouthed a few choice words at him while the General guided the blond out to the dance floor. Zack was glad that he didn't really know what he was saying, but he knew that he would hear about it later._

_Sephiroth took him by the hand and pulled him close, however he was much gentler than Zack. He had to make sure to keep his crotch away from Sephiroth's leg just as he had done with Zack when they first started dancing. It was only when he wasn't thinking about it that he had moved a little in the hold and that's when the brunette noticed._

_Cloud had always wanted to meet the great General of Shinra, but this was ridiculous, "I suppose from the look on your face earlier that you know who I am?" Sephiroth took to the dance as if the song was specifically written for him._

_Cloud cleared his throat and tried to sound as feminine as possible, "Y-yes sir."_

_Sephiroth asked in a pleasant voice, "So how do you know Zackary?"_

_"Uh… I… uh, we're friends, -were friends," Clearing his throat, the flustered blond grinned nervously, "We're just friends."_

_Without missing a step, Sephiroth asked, "Well you know my name; may I ask your name?"_

_"Oh… I'm M-Maria"_

_Sephiroth went gliding around the floor as he pulled Cloud even closer and an added hand on his ass. Cloud's heels clicked and his left one almost fell off when he stumbled at the disturbing touch. Desperately looking for Zack, he couldn't find him at first and when he did finally spot him, Zack was grinning and giving him a thumbs up as he took a quick picture. Cloud rolled his eyes and mouthed a few more words over Sephiroth's shoulder. Too bad it wasn't Rufus, or they could have left.  
_

_After the dance, Sephiroth offered his arm to Cloud and he hesitantly took it so he could be escorted from the dance floor. Instead of going back to Zack though, Sephiroth walked over to an area with very few people. Cloud got a little nervous and quickly started looking for Zack again. 'Damn him!' Cloud thought._

_Just as he thought things were going to get even more awkward, dinner was announced by one of the waiters._

_"Would you mind if I escorted you to the dining table? Zackary looks like he is busy at the moment."_

_Cloud found Zack talking up three girls that had him almost surrounded._

_Without waiting for an answer, Sephiroth took Cloud's hand, hooked it over his arm and placed his hand on top of it. They walked over and the large circular tables were set up with grand table cloths and large extravagant center pieces. Sephiroth pulled out a chair for Cloud, but he stood his ground and announced needing to go to the ladies room._

_Feeling the General's eyes watch him as he walked away, he sped up._

_Zack saw Cloud walking away from the table. When he looked at Sephiroth, his eyes were attentively watching Cloud's lightly swaying backside. The blush in Sephiroth's cheeks gave it away that he was more than interested. Zack couldn't help but smile._

_As Cloud got out to the outer room, he stepped around the corner. Feeling lucky, he stayed where no one could see him, especially Sephiroth. When someone was coming around the corner, a panic attack straightened his spine. Then he saw that it was Zack who wore a very large smile.  
_

_Ignoring the gloating smile, Cloud asked, "Where is Rufus?"_

_"I saw him coming this way, so I beat him out here to tell you," Zack stepped aside as Rufus turned the corner. Quickly without letting the man out of his sights, Zack jumped in front of the white-suited blond, "Sir, may I get a picture of you and my date?"_

_Whispering in the ear of the woman beside him, he nodded, "Fine." Cloud exhaled when he heard the click as the picture was taken._

_When Rufus dismissed himself, Zack whispered in Cloud's ear, "That man thinks he is fooling people by being seen with women, but we all know the truth."_

" _I don't care Zack."_

_"Just one more thing, I wanted to tell you and Sephiroth make a lovely couple," Cloud didn't think his friend's smile could get any bigger. With Zack receiving another glare, he finished up, "I got the picture so we can get out of here."_ _A startling voice behind them stopped their conversation._

" _Is everything alright?" Sephiroth approached them with a concerned look, "They are going to serve dinner soon. Are you attending?"_

_Zack looked at Cloud and tried not to laugh. Mulling it over, Zack thought quickly and pulled Cloud close to his side. The Soldier's hand slid down Cloud's side to his waist. A grin and a wink, he addressed Sephiroth, "I think we are ready to go…" Placing his lips gingerly on Cloud's temple, he finished, with the wig hiding his amused smile, "Aren't you baby?"_

_Having a very difficult time keeping his laughter from bursting out, Zack held on to the twitching, and nervously smiling blond as he swallowed hard and nodded with an added, "Uh-huh."_

_Sephiroth shallowly bowed to Cloud and said, "Thank you for the lovely evening."_

_As Sephiroth walked away, Cloud looked at Zack through a large fake smile and said through gritted teeth, "I hate you."_

_Zack burst into laughter as Cloud found his way out of the building and he followed not too far behind him. Meeting Cloud back at his apartment, tapping his foot, the irate blond was waiting not-so-patiently to be let in. Zack couldn't help but smile, looking at Cloud, he said, "Can I help you out of your dress?"  
_

_Cloud then said, "You're an asshole!" Zack finally got the door unlocked and followed Cloud into the apartment._

_Making a B-line for the bedroom, Cloud moved quickly across the messy living room, Zack said, "Well that went pretty well, don't you think?" it came out before he could stop himself, Zack broke out in to another fit of laughter as Cloud threw his purse at him and slammed the door to the bedroom._

_Zack grabbed a drink from his little fridge and took a swig, "I hope you will still be friends with me tomorrow," He yelled to Cloud and he heard the blond mumble something that sounded like it could be a stream of curse words. Zack just smiled to himself and took another drink._


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like with my other stories, I am not writing the word SOLDIER in all caps, instead, I am just capitalizing the first letter. Sorry for the late update, the next one should be soon.
> 
> I want to thank my fantastic beta SubZeroChimera on FFnet!

"Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom." –Thomas Jefferson

**Nexus**

Chapter 4

They were still pretty cold, but their shared body heat helped to make it more bearable. Hearing something on the outside of the door just before it opened Zack jumped up. Realizing that it was just one of the large guards with a tray of food and another man followed him in with another tray. The first guy looked at both of them and his eyes stopped on Cloud. Shifting on the bed, Cloud tried to hide behind Zack as much as he could. The Soldier stepped between Cloud and the guy to break his line of sight. Zack took the trays and asked, "You got a problem there…Davis?"

"No, not at all," Davis stated as he turned around to leave, "Oh, before I forget, here are some clothes and a couple of blankets." The guard took some clothes from a cart outside the room and tossed them over in Cloud's direction.

"It's about damn time; we are near frozen in here!" Zack spit out.

As the guards left, Zack took some steps toward the door as it shut and Cloud was already going through the clothes to get his. Separating the underwear, black sweat pants and white t-shirts, he handed Zack the larger clothes. Putting the food down on the side of the bed and as he dressed, Zack's mind was in overdrive. Wrapping the blankets around themselves, they sat down to eat together. His friend was already in trouble and he would be damned if he was going to let that piece of shit around him. Cloud didn't show any other outward signs that it bothered him, but he knew that it did because it bothered him.

Zack and Cloud finished their dinner, if that's what you wanted to call it. Cloud got up and slowly made his way to the bathroom. Zack lay back on his bed, curled up in his blanket and with a belly full of slop, started to doze off. Coming out of the bathroom, he saw that Zack's eyes were closed and he quietly went to his bed and lay down. He tried to get comfortable and without a pillow it was difficult. He loved his pillow and missed snuggling up with it. Funny the things you miss. Eventually getting somewhat comfortable he closed his eyes, but sleep came at a price.

* * *

" _Sephiroth!"_

_A shout that sounded like Zack yelling, woke Cloud from a sound sleep. An odd orange glow emanated from outside the room window. When Cloud came out of the Inn, the smell and heat of the fire was overwhelming._

_Turning and seeing his house on fire sent chills of panic throughout his body and his legs began to tremble. Jerking himself out of the shock, he raced over to his house and called, "Mom," There was nothing in return._

_"Mom!" Running into the house, it was blocked by the heat of the flames right in front of him. Then he saw her, her gentle face, he couldn't bear to look at the rest of her, but her face looked oddly beautiful and peaceful, just like she was only asleep, "MOM!" With legs turning into jelly, he dropped to his knees and screamed out with tears in his eyes. Unable to get to her, hold her, kiss her cheek like he always did, he cried out, "How could this happen?" Then he heard something from outside. Just as he was coming out of what was left of his house, he saw Zack running up to the trail that lead to the reactor. A decision had to be made; would he follow?_

* * *

"Mom!" The word came out of nowhere shaking him awake. Looking in the direction it came from, Cloud, lying on his side, was shaking and his hands holding his drawn up legs. Anguish covered his face and tears dripped over his nose to the mattress.

"Mom!" The sound of the second scream startled him with a flinch of his eyes. Zack got up and walked over, the feeling of just wanting to pick him up and hold him so that he could grieve his mother. Tears began to well up into his own eyes and then he heard the anguished sound of a son losing all he had left in the world, "MOM!"

Swallowing down his tears, he tapped slowly on the pale arm, "Hey Spike, you okay?"

Waking up with a start, he looked up and saw Zack looking a little concerned, "Y…yeah, I guess. Why?" Cloud quickly wiped his face and hoped that Zack hadn't seen the tears.

"No reason, you just looked like you were having a bad dream is all," Wanting to comfort him, needing to know he was alright, he chose not to try right now. If Cloud was hiding his tears, he wasn't ready to talk just yet, but one day would be ready and when that time came, he would be there for him.

The next morning their door opened and Zack was on his feet before he was even awake. Cloud was already awake and just sat up on the edge of his bed.

"Are you going to go without a fight, or do we need to do this the hard way?" Davis asked with a hint of trepidation.

Zack looked at him and in pure Zack fashion he said, "Well what fun would that be if we cooperated? I've itched for a fight for a while now."

The other guard came in behind Davis, Zack looked at his name tag, "Drake…hmm. You want to join in the fun too?"

Drake said nothing and slightly looked down at his feet. A few strands of his dirty blond hair fell into his face. Davis shrugged his muscles at Zack and turned his attention to Cloud. As Davis started over toward Cloud, Zack stepped in front of him and Davis stated firmly, "Move or I'll move you."

"I sure would like to see you try," Zack stated harshly. Still feeling weak, he knew if it came down to it, he would probably lose the fight. Drake stepped around Davis and took Zack by the arm.

Zack wanted to make a move, but he decided that now was not the time, he would just have to let it go, this time. Shrugging his shoulders toward Davis, he just smirked at him like only Zack could. As Drake moved to pass Davis, Zack struck his toe on one of the posts that held the bed up, causing him to trip. The former Soldier's face hit the tile, splitting his lip open with his teeth. Moving swiftly, Davis crooned in Zack's ear, "That is how I like to see you, on your knees."

After laughing at Zack, Davis got a hold of Cloud's arm and pulled him up to his feet. Seeing how he looked at him before and now what he said to Zack, Cloud pulled back, but it didn't loosen the guard's grip. Getting closer to the blonde's face, a smile split the guard's face, "That isn't how it works around here," Cloud couldn't move; the small amount of time he did sleep was filled with nightmares and the fear of what was happening. The underlying threat in the guard's words got him afraid to try anything else.

Drake helped Zack to his feet and he saddened at the terror that filled his eyes. Was Cloud giving up? That was what he didn't sense, but deep down, he knew it was true because it was as though he was giving up too.

"Now, if you're ready, we can get you down to the professor," Davis said as he pulled Cloud hard by his arm up behind him, just enough that Cloud had trouble keeping his balance as they walked.

As they walked through the doors, Hojo was standing with his back to them, "You're late." Hojo sounded annoyed, turning to look at them, "Why are you late?"

Zack spit a mouth full of bloody saliva on the floor, "The guys here were just showing us how they liked to have fun."

The Soldier turned lab specimen looked around and this was different from the lab they were in while in the tanks. This one had two large metal tables on one side of the room and one of the mako tanks like what they woke up in on the other side. This room was bigger than the other room. What got Zack concerned was both tables had thick leather straps with metal buckles. Zack's thoughts raced, 'Oh shit… What are we in for?'

Besides the two gorillas that were holding him and Cloud, there was another steroid junkie there and Zack read his name tag, "Harper huh? What do you do for fun?" The new big guy's brown hair was messy, but in a styled sort of way. Obviously he cared about his appearance.

The two guys in white coats were busy doing something, but he couldn't see. Moving his gaze back to the doctor, he blinked at the look on the doctor's face as he watched both specimens, "Go ahead and put specimen Z on the table on the left and specimen C on the other."

Davis and Drake proceeded to take them over and started to strap them to the tables as instructed, a strap for each wrist, one around the hips, one for their chest and one for each ankle.

"I guess they want us to stick around for a while," Zack said smirking up at the silent man, "What is your name again?" Again, the silent guard said nothing. The Soldier then said to no one in particular, "I guess he likes to play hard to get," Zack raised his head and looked around and if he turned his head to the side, he could see Cloud. Davis smacked him in the back of his head, "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"We will start with the injections Dr. Chase," Hojo said without looking up from his notes.

After the Doctor got their vitals, he nodded his head to one of the lab techs.

The guys at the back turned around and Zack saw each guy had two syringes full of what looked like mako. Both men walked toward them. Zack had regular injections of mako from being in Soldier, but it was only one syringe, not two. Zack looked at the syringes and back up at the lab tech and back down at the syringes, "Oh hell no! Are you trying to kill us?" Zack broke out in a sweat, "Hojo, you twisted fucker!"

Tying the tourniquet, the tech found a vein and injected the mako. Keeping his eyes closed, Zack let a few tears fall down his cheeks as he grit his teeth, groaning loudly, he rode out the pain. Normally painful with just one injection, two was excruciating.

After Zack's injections, the doctor counted down to ten minutes and then twenty minutes. Both times he took vitals. Zack's head lolled to the side and his breathing was still rapid and small quiet grunts were all he heard from him then.

Seeing Zack's reaction to his first injection terrified Cloud. If Zack acted like that with the injections, then what was going to happen to him? Then he saw the two syringes meant for him. Beginning to struggle and plead to the tech to leave him alone. With the tourniquet around his arm, the tech thumped at his pale skin until he found a good vein. Slurring words from Zack helped to calm him, "Spike, just breathe through it."

Cloud tried to hold it together, but a scream still escaped. Zack was helpless to do anything to help him and for that reason, he blamed himself for Cloud being in this situation. After Cloud's spasms and screams subsided, Zack silently sobbed at his irresponsibility for getting Cloud into this situation.

After the third set of their vitals were taken, Zack spit out weakly and slurred, "Hojo, you are a sick fuck, you know that?" The sound of Cloud's painful reactions broke his heart, the first was always the worst anyway, and he wouldn't blame him if the blond hated him, he hated himself right about then.

Deposited back into their cell, Cloud writhed on his bed. It was the sort of pain that hurt worse if you didn't move, so there was no rest.

Being used to the injections, Zack just rode out the dizzying effects that sometimes got his stomach twisted in knots. The Soldier injections were smaller doses than what they were just given. Cloud's body twitched violently and then would relax again and he sobbed quietly. Feeling ashamed of himself, Cloud turned to face the wall.

"When does the pain stop?" Cloud asked in small airy breaths.

Zack still slurred a little, but it was easier for him to speak, "Well, if it were regular injections, it would be anytime now." Only able to comfort him a little, Zack felt as though he was failing miserably, "Spike, don't worry too much, everyone reacts this way at first."

Covering himself with his blanket, he tried to fall asleep hoping to sleep through most of the pain. That was when Davis came in with some food, "Well looks like the professor knocked the fight right out of you two."

Zack smiled weakly, "For you, I'll always be ready to fight."

Davis left with a smirk that spoke more than any words could.

* * *

After his test subjects first series of mako injections, he headed out of lab 3 and over to lab 1. The crystal shimmered in the mako bath it was in. The months that his subjects had been in the tanks, the hard surface started to break down. Once he was able to get it broken down enough, he could release its precious contents. Hoping that a perfect preserved body was intact in there, if he could get the body intact, he could start over.

Gently caressing the glass of the tank, Hojo spoke softly, "I got the blond one that killed you. I will make him your new clone. I will begin introducing Jenova cells and mako and then strengthening his body. If I can get it strong enough to hold your DNA, you will live again."

Many days later, and looking over the tank holding the crystal, notes in hand, Hojo had been running tests and simulations on his own for well over a week now. The Professor had banned everyone from the lab with the crystal and evidently found some interesting new data. The project was going to be taking a different direction. Deciding to share the new information, he picked up the phone, "Dr. Chase, come to lab 1 immediately." Hanging up, a glimmer flashed through his dark eyes when an actual smile crept across his thin lips. There was a little surprise for Doctor Chase, and his new idea was brilliant.

Just as he cackled to himself, Chase entered the lab and Hojo's good mood sounded in his voice, "Excellent!" Hojo said louder than expected, startling the Doctor.

"What do you need me for Professor?" Chase asked in a stern voice.

"How long have you been here in my labs?"

"Well I never really thought about it. Why?" Doctor Chase crossed his arms.

"The crystal has been suspended in the mako bath since its recovery. Simply saying, we are going to see how things are progressing."

"Sir, with all due respect, I am a medical doctor. I don't understand why I am in here in this lab."

"It is very simple doctor," Hojo stepped over to a panel on the side of the tank and flipped a switch. A sound came from a speaker that mounted to one side of the tank. It was a very distinct sound that the doctor knew well, a heartbeat.


	5. Chapter 5

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." -Oscar Wilde

**Nexus**

Chapter 5

About 4 days had passed since they had their first injections, and so far they had been left alone. That was fine with them. With the regular dinner that showed up and the side effects long gone, they seemed in pretty good spirits. Sitting on the floor facing each other, they were in the middle of a rousing game of I spy and Zack was losing. He was fine losing this game, because he won the game of rock, paper, scissors.

The door opened and two infantry soldiers popped their heads in hesitantly, holding EMR batons in their hands. Zack and Cloud looked at each other in confusion and then back at them. Zack leaned back on the side of the bed while resting his arm on it, "Howdy boys!"

"Uh…we are here to take you to…the lab," Barber finally got out.

"Are you _sure_? Because you don't sound so sure," Zack asked with a confident, yet sarcastic, look on his face.

Cloud looked at the other guy and with a hint of anger, he acknowledged him, "Lawrence…"

Zack asked hitching a thumb in the direction of the man who Cloud indicated, "You know this guy?" Thinking that the soldier looked a little familiar, he just blew it off, he had seen many soldiers during his time at Shinra.

Cloud just stared, not really knowing what to say. Lawrence dropped his gaze to the floor and fiddled with his uniform shirt.

"Well, this is awkward," Zack cleared his throat. Looking at Barber he said, "So…you were saying something about going to the lab?"

"Oh…yeah… Don't give us any trouble okay," Barber's voice broke up a little, he held out his EMR baton and Zack noticed it was like the one Reno carried. That thing was like a super Taser.

"Oh all right, since you asked so nicely…" Zack said sarcastically with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Getting up, the two puzzled men waited for the infantry soldiers to tie them up or something, but nothing happened to show that the two soldiers had that intention. Looking at each other again, Zack tilted his head a little, "Well? Whenever you're ready," Shooing them forward with his hands, Zack sighed.

Lawrence grabbed Zack's arm hesitantly, followed by Barber taking Cloud's arm. Out in the hall, Zack looked around and he noted the exit just past where the labs were situated. Turning his head, made eye contact with his blond friend and gave a quick wink, Cloud nodded his head in acknowledgment.

It was now or never. Zack hit Lawrence's baton with his elbow just above the handle. As it flew through the air Zack grabbed it and turned to Lawrence and hit him across the back of the neck with it, sending Lawrence to the floor. Cloud got Barber in the throat with the heel of his hand and he dropped his baton when he grabbed for his neck.

Cloud got all the way to the exit door before he turned around just in time to see Lawrence jump after Zack and grab his ankle. Starting to go down, he righted himself and that's when Barber picked his baton up and a shock went through Zack's back and he fell to the floor jerking from the electric current. Moving quickly before Zack could react, Lawrence was putting some ties around his wrists.

Without hesitating, he took off running back down to Zack and dove into Barber; sending both of them sliding down the hall a few feet. Cloud rolled to his back and kicked at Lawrence, but the infantryman got the baton stuck out just in time to send a shock through the blonde's body.

Lawrence tossed him over to his stomach and tied his wrists behind him, "I never really liked you Strife, but now it's on. I always wanted to kick your ass!" Lawrence spit out, "I never got a chance before, but I guess I do now," the angered soldier kicked Cloud in the ribs and the restrained blond recoiled with a yelp.

Zack was trying to get up, but Barber had his knee jammed in his upper back, however the concerned soldier yelled at Lawrence, "Stop! Lawrence!"

Unwilling or unable to listen, Lawrence kicked him twice more in the ribs and one to the head knocking him out.

Zack dropped his head and rested his forehead on the floor, sighing in exasperation, "…Shit."

* * *

Coming through the doors with Zack and an unconscious Cloud in tow, Lawrence dropped the blond to the floor on his side with a heavy thud. Barber pushed Zack farther into the room and when he released Zack's arm, the infantryman tripped himself on his other foot. Falling forward, he landed on the large muscular back belonging to the former Soldier, causing Zack to stumble forward as well. When the larger man turned and looked at Barber, he was getting himself back straight on his feet.

Barber's face was beet red and Lawrence spoke up, "Damn it Barber, how the hell did you get through basic training?" Zack flicked his head to get the black spikes out of his face and threateningly lunged in the direction of the two soldiers. Both jumping back in surprise, Lawrence took a hold of Barber's sleeve and pulled him out the door. Once alone, Zack knelt to the floor, but with his hands tied behind his back, he just plopped down next to his unconscious friend.

Cloud finally roused and turned as much as he could to his back. He made eye contact with Zack and then looked down, and with a shameful sound echoing in his voice, he apologized, "Sorry." Wincing at the pain in his ribs and his face, Cloud ran his tongue out over his split lip and then spit out some blood. He raised his shoulder toward his face and wiped the blood coming from his nose on to his shirt.

"Hey don't worry about it. I would have done the same thing," Zack's positivity was not at its normally high level, but it was better than Cloud felt.

After a long pause, Cloud asked with a one-sided grin, "So…how do I look?"

Zack chuckled, "As ugly as the day I met you." When Cloud chuckled, he winced at his pain again. Looking around, Zack noticed that they were in the lab with the tables again.

The doors swung open and Hojo and a few of his lab techs were with him, "Well now Z, are you causing problems this morning?"

Zack glared at him, full of contempt, "Of course not… Well not much anyway."

"Well Z, you should behave yourself, " Hojo stated in a menacing tone.

With a snarky sneer, Zack asked, "Well Hojo, what fun would that be?"

Davis and another guy they hadn't seen before came into the room. They proceeded to untie them and pulled them to their feet. The new guy was about as tall as Cloud, he had brown hair, combed straight back. He was fairly stocky, and it was obvious that he probably never met a food he didn't like. Cloud studied him and Zack asked what his name was. The guy turned to where he could see his name on his uniform. "Charles"

"Charles huh? First or last name?" Zack asked glaring at him right in his eyes.

Charles said nothing. Hojo indicated to Davis and Charles to put them on the tables. As they were strapped down, Zack looked over and saw the menacing green syringes. The doctor came in, obviously running late, "Let me get their vitals first!"

Hojo instructed his assistants to administer the shots. As one of the assistants neared, Zack winced at the thought of the coming pain.

As the pain began to fall away, so did his grimace and groan as his head lolled and stayed there for the time being. Noticing the swirling lights in his eyes from the mako flowing, Zack's eyes rolled and his stomach threatened to expel his breakfast.

Cloud slammed his eyes shut as the lab tech got close to him. Cold hands touched his arm then the wave of pain started. Doubling his efforts to keep from screaming out like he did before, it did nothing as the screams came out unabated, seemingly as though they were a sentient being. When his screams began to die in his throat, the dizziness played against his motion sickness and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter.

The doctor checked their vitals again and Zack opened his eyes and focused on keeping his eyes on one thing, "Hojo, why are you doing this to us?"

"This a top-secret project and test subjects are not in the loop," Hojo then chuckled with delight in his voice.

"Oh, well that answers all of my questions. How about you Spiky?" Zack said weakly.

Cloud just shook his head and grunted. When Zack looked over at his friend, blood seeped out of his nose and dripped down his cheek to the table. Hojo didn't pay any attention, but Dr. Chase went to work on stopping the bleeding. Zack snapped at Hojo, "Are you actually trying to kill us?" Hojo walked out of the doors without even looking in their direction.

* * *

Hojo was in Lab 1 with the crystal. While the submerged crystal was being subjected to sound waves, trying to chip away at it. It was working very slowly but it was faster than just leaving in the mako bath alone. Doctor Chase couldn't understand how there could be a heartbeat when he was completely encased in the crystal. He did his exam as much as he could from outside the tank, which wasn't much, "Professor, I really can't do much with it in there. I need to be able to get closer to it."

"I decided to take it out tomorrow to bore down into the crystal. You can see it up close then," Hojo looked at him over the top of his glasses, "It is just taking too long this way."

* * *

Harding was finally back on his feet and ready to get back to work. He headed down to Lab 1 about an hour before anyone else would be there. Looking around, a few things had changed, but he had been out longer than anticipated due to a stupid infection that just wouldn't heal. Immediately he went over to the tank to look over the readouts. Seeing that Hojo was trying to break it open instead of dissolve it, he shook his head.

Not really knowing exactly what he would need, he grabbed some notes off of the desk. Folding them and shoving them in his pocket as quickly as he could. He headed back over to the tank to sabotage some of the settings, and then he could leave. Showing back up to work with everyone else would give him an out, but he was going to have to hurry though, because he had been down there longer than he anticipated.

Then he heard the door open.

* * *

Hojo was up bright and early; he had slept pretty well, so he was ready to get started. Walking as if there was air underneath his feet he seemed to glide back to the labs. He headed down to Lab 1 and was surprised that one of the assistants was already getting started checking the read outs.

"Well it is good to see you back on your feet Harding," Hojo actually sounded pleasant.

Jumping at the voice, Harding quickly stammered out, "It's good to be back sir."

"Today we are going to drill into the crystal. We need to get deeper readings to find out how much longer it will be before the contents can be recovered," Hojo instructed him, "We might even be able to get the contents out today!"

"Yes sir, I will finish with these readings and settings and go and gather the necessary equipment."

"I admire your initiative Mr. Harding."

"Thank you sir."

"Excellent!" Hojo walked over to the tank and peered in. The crystal just stared back, unmoving. He flipped the switch to the speakers and closed his eyes at the sound that came from it. His thin lips curled and he dipped his head to the side, just listening. After he was startled with an unknown urgency, he turned to the desk in the corner. Shuffling around the desk, he finally found his clipboard and began to furiously write.

Harding returned with a cart full of an array of items. Right behind him was Burton. Harding hated working with Burton; he was just as twisted as Hojo. Hell he even looked like him a little. A shudder went down his spine at the thought of _two_ Hojos.

"Alright, as soon as Doctor Chase gets here we will get started," The Professor announced.

Right on cue, Doctor Chase came through the doors. Harding went to the new vat and connected a couple of hoses coming from the tank. Burton flipped the switch that drained the mako and Harding unlocked the brakes to the tank. Guiding the tank down to its side, both Harding and Burton hefted the weight as Hojo insisted that they be right there to ensure that another accident didn't happen.

Dropping the crystal and letting it shatter crossed Harding's mind, but Burton, as it just so happened, was right there. Burton just so happened was very interested in what the Professor was doing. Harding threw the straps around the crystal, one on each end and secured them to the crane. Burton went to the crane operating panel and started lifting it from the tank. Harding cautiously guided it to the operating table as the crane lowered it. Once the straps were removed, Burton went to the side table and readied the drill for the professor.

Everyone donned their masks and face shields. Doctor Chase took the drill, picked up the largest drill bit and found the best place to start. The drill came to life with a roar. Hojo stood by anxiously waiting to let Chase know a good place to stop. Crystal slivers flatly fell to the floor; dust came up in a seemingly never-ending trail of smoke and after several minutes, Hojo yelled over the noise, "Stop there Doctor!"

Stopping the drill, Chase set it aside. Both of them leaned in and studied where it stopped _,_ "Very interesting," Hojo said to no one in particular. Turning to Chase, Hojo asked, "Well do you think you can get your readings now Doctor?"

"I believe so Professor," Chase reached over for the long probe. It was about the width of a spaghetti noodle and about 3 feet long. It had a "claw" like device at the end that Chase inserted in the hole. At the other end of the probe, Chase manipulated the handle to the wire that ran through the hollow tube. The claw found its target and Chase anchored it just under the skin. Hojo reached over to the probe control panel and it reared to life. A few beeps and it was etching out its reading across the screen, "We have a definitive heartbeat and temperature," Burton was ready and waiting to write the results down in the notes. Chase rattled off, "Heart rate a steady 45 bpm, temp 99.2. I am a little concerned; the heart rate is down by 9 from yesterday."

"Let's not worry about that right now," Hojo continued, "We will keep a close eye on it, if it falls below that though, immediate action is required."

"Agreed," Chase stated.

"Alright, Burton, Harding, Get started on the extraction, I have a few things to do. Call me immediately if anything changes," Hojo ordered while he removed his mask and face guard.

"Yes sir," They said in unison.

As the Professor left, they picked up the circular saws and scored the crystal in several sections. Doctor Chase was keeping a close eye on the monitors. When they finished scoring it in a crisscross pattern, Burton grabbed the chisel and hammer and tapped the head of the chisel gently. A large section that covered a foot fell loose with a crash. Jumping back, they all attempted to not let any of it fall on them. Almost mesmerized, Harding reached over and ran his finger down and across the bottom of a large black leather boot, it felt warm to the touch.

"This isn't going to take as long as we originally thought," Chase stated. Burton and Harding looked at each other and Burton continued to chisel away at the crystal. Harding was there hauling away the chunks of crystal as they fell. Soon the second cart was full of glimmering crystal. Chase hollered out to the two soldiers that were guarding just outside, "One of you come get this cart, and bring an empty one back."

Barber came in the room and headed over to the cart, grabbed the handle and started out the door. His eyes fell on the partly covered body on the table. Eyes as big as saucers, he gasped and went out the door in a hurry. Taking the cart around to the storage area, he stopped and took a few deep breaths. Did he really just see what he thought he saw? Was it really Sephiroth?

Grabbing an empty cart, he walked hesitantly back to the lab. Distracted by the sight on the table, he ran into the back of Doctor Chase's legs. He got a glare from the Doctor. Chase dismissed him and Harding proceeded to lift more chunks of crystal placing them in the service cart. That seemed to be all the large chunks. Just after a few hours they had finished with the crystal. Sephiroth took a deep breath on his own but remained unconscious on the table.

Chase picked up the phone and called Hojo, "Yes sir, the crystal has been successfully removed…yes…of course sir," After his conversation with Hojo he walked over to the table put his hands down and leaned in and looked down at the man.

Hojo came through doors and B-lined it to the table, "Excellent!" Sephiroth's pulse and respirations were both slow, but steady. Chase took his blood pressure and pulse and it was slightly higher but still in the safe zone. They continued to remove his armor, boots and the rest of his clothes. Harding laid them over on an empty side table, slowly and carefully, as if Sephiroth would awaken, rise from the table and chastise him for mistreating his garments.

Now free of the crystal and armor, Chase was able to access his injuries, a single stab wound that almost severed him in half from the looks of it and minor chemical burns scattered all over, but what surprised him most, was the lack of actual bleeding. Chase just shook his head, how was he still alive? Hojo covered Sephiroth with a sheet and Burton wheeled the gurney right into to the surgical suite. Doctor Chase and Hojo went and scrubbed up for the surgery while the assistants prepped him. Chase intubated him and adjusted the settings to the anesthetics.

After the surgery was finally complete, it had taken several hours to repair all the damage. Hojo took a syringe of Jenova cells and another with mako in it and injected them into his IV. Completely exhausted, they proceeded back to the previous room. While they were in surgery two other assistants had cleaned and re-sanitized Lab 1. Two of the guards were in the lab waiting to be of help.

Harding requested, "Harper, could you get his shoulders, Davis get his legs." The tank was still on its side so it was easier to transfer an unconscious man into it. Harding took the electrode leads and placed them in their proper spots on his chest, neck and temples.

Out loud, Burton wished that the other two tanks tilted like this one did. Harding and Burton tied his wrists and ankles, anchoring him to the bottom of the tank. Harding moved the intubation tube and the IV to the top of the tank and reset the settings. As they closed the tank and started filling it with warm water, Hojo giggled quietly to himself, as he pushed the button for the tank to turn back upright.

* * *

A few days after their second injection, Zack and Cloud noticed that their joints began to hurt constantly. It wasn't an unbearable amount of pain, but it was making it difficult to sleep. With the lack of sleep, joint pain, and old-fashioned cabin fever and the stress of being held against their wishes started to take a toll on their nerves. It didn't take long until they found themselves in an argument about the proper rules to thumb wrestling.

"It's one, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war and then you go!" Zack argued.

Cloud argued back, "No, it's just one, two, three, then you go!"

"No, no, no. What is it you're not understanding about these simple rules?" Zack smirked a little.

"For the last time, it's one, two, three-"

Zack interrupted, "What kind of backwater town did you grow up in? I thought everyone knew the rules!"

Cloud narrowed his eyes, "Hey don't make fun of where I'm from, Mr. GON-GA-GA!"

"Yeah? Well at least I know the rules!" The brunette retorted

One corner of Cloud's mouth crept up in a smirk, ready for a retort of his own, "Where you born this stupid, or is this a learned behavior?"

"Oh, that does it!" Zack dove for Cloud and in a quick, smooth move had him in a head lock before he knew what had hit him, giving the blond an enthusiastic noogie.

"Ooowwww! That hurts!"

Cloud wrestled loose and tackled Zack. Pinning him to the floor with all his weight and strength, he started to give noogie in retaliation, but being stronger, Zack flipped over, throwing him off of his back and to the floor. The brunette pounced as he grabbed Cloud by the waist, flipped him over on his back and pinned him down to the floor. Sticking his finger in his mouth and pulling it out, Zack yelled, "Wet willy!"

"Oh GROSS!" Cloud wiggled and screamed, "No fair!"

Zack broke out in a fit of laughter that doubled him over and left him rolling on the floor.

Cloud got up and stomped to the bathroom to clean his ear, "It's not funny!"

Zack continued to laugh, Cloud stood in the doorway to the bathroom and watched him roll with his arms wrapped around his ribs in laughter. Cloud got a small grin on his face and started laughing too, wincing a little when his injured ribs protested.

Deep down, they were both terrified about what was happening. Terrified at what was going to happen. It just felt to them that it was the last real good time they were probably going to have. They needed this moment, this memory of their friendship to hold on to. Neither of them wanted to admit to it though, neither of them were ready to face it.


	6. Chapter 6

"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for?" –Robert Browning

**Nexus**

Chapter 6

Feeling utterly exhausted, in pain, and cold, Zack made his way over to Cloud's bed put his blanket on top of him and climbed under. The blond didn't protest because he knew that a heat source was now available. Putting his right arm under his head, he rolled on his side and scooted up to Cloud's back, threw his left arm over him and took a deep breath.

The next morning, they were so tired and finally getting some sleep, they didn't hear the door open and Davis spoke up, "Well I'm so glad you two made up, but then again the sex after a fight is always the best." Davis let out a disturbing laugh.

Zack rolled over to his back and Cloud turned his head and looked over his shoulder. Davis was standing there and Harper was behind him. "Hey look Cloud, its twiddle dee and twiddle dum," Zack said with a small amount of amusement. Cloud looked at Zack as they sat up.

"You're a real funny guy aren't you, you smartass! I grew up beating your type into the ground."

"Oh, and here I thought that all you beat was your dick," Zack smiled.

Davis just stood there staring at Zack as he got up and stretched, "Go ahead and try something Fair, I would love to kick your ass."

"Nah, I just don't feel like it today," He said dismissively.

"Whatever. We are here to take you down to the weight room," Harper was clearly annoyed at the conversation.

Zack perked up a little, finally something to do besides the small amount of exercises he could do in such a small space, "Don't get too happy, you haven't seen it yet," Davis said with a smirk.

"Okay…" Zack drawled out.

Down in the weight room Hojo and two assistants were already in there, "Oh, Z I am so happy to see that you got down here without incident." Zack did his best smirk.

"Put Z here on the weight bench and C there on the leg machine. Each for 50 reps per every weight increase, I want a total of 30 increments. As per our discussion earlier," Hojo ordered to the guards. Zack and Cloud stared at each other in disbelief. Davis snickered a little from behind them.

"Hojo! That's 1500 reps per machine! Are you completely out of your mind?" Zack yelled.

"I am well aware of the math, Z."

Zack was taken to the bench and laid down. Starting out at a pretty low weight but at every 50 reps, the assistant would add a little more weight.

Cloud went to the leg machine and he started his reps, the other assistant with him, periodically added more weight as well. About half way through, both of them were sweating badly and Zack almost dropped the bar on his face when the sweat on his hands made it slippery. Cloud would grunt out with every lift, and he had slowed his lifts significantly. Their muscles burned and threatened to fail, but they were able to continue. Cloud was utterly surprised the he was still able to lift anything.

Zack was losing control of the bar from the extra weight that the assistant just put on there. He had no spotter, so he was able to drop it above his head, surprisingly not dislocating his shoulders. The lab tech assigned to him started writing feverishly on his clip board. Oddly enough, he had done his required 1500 reps. Out of breath, his upper body burned from the activity. It had been too long since he really worked out.

Watching Cloud struggle to get the last handful of lifts all the way up, the veins in his neck and forehead stuck out at the strain. He was bearing his teeth and grunting one long continuous grunt, "Come on Cloud, you can do it buddy." At the sound of encouragement from is friend, he was able to finally get that last few reps done. His legs dropped and the sound of the weights hitting the bar resonated in the room. His assigned lab tech started writing just as feverishly as Zack's had.

After about 5 minutes rest, they switched positions. Cloud was noticeably concerned as he really never had very much upper body strength. Luckily though it started out at a weight he could handle. They proceeded to do their respective reps, but Cloud struggled a great deal and he was only about half way through. Zack watched closely, ready to jump up to grab the bar if Cloud needed help. He wasn't even paying attention to his own weight when the lab tech stopped him, he was done with his reps. However Cloud wasn't even close. He still had about 600 more to go, "You can do it! I know you can! I'm right here to help if you need it."

Zack's lab tech nodded to Harper, and he took Zack's arm and started leading him out of the gym, "Wait! NO! Cloud!" Zack yelled, "No! Let me go!" Harper held on to him firmly, he really couldn't put up much of a fight as his arms and legs felt like jelly and were just barely holding him upright. Harper dragged him out the door kicking and screaming. He got a hold of the door handle just as they passed it. Getting an elbow on the back of his neck, knocked him to the floor and Harper reached down and grabbed him under his arms and started dragging him. Zack stopped struggling and could see dark spots in front of his eyes but he was still conscious. His head lolled around on his neck at the rhythm of Harper's walking.

As Zack was involuntarily dragged out of the gym, Cloud had tears well up at the pain his arms, shoulders, back and chest. He wanted his friend there with him, to encourage him. When he saw Drake elbow him in the neck and he went down, a single tear fell and hit the bench under his head, "I c-can't… f-finish."

Several minutes later, his arms failed him and the bar came down hard on his chest. A sickening thud and all the air coming out of his lungs caught the attention of Davis, "Stupid fucking weakling," The guard said as he rushed over to lift the bar. By the time he got there, Cloud had lost consciousness. The bar slid off to the side and it left him pinned under one end. The lab tech grabbed the intercom and loudly requested Doctor Chase to the gym immediately.

Davis lifted the bar off of him with a grunt, 'damn, that is a hell of a lot heavier than I thought' and dropped it. Doctor Chase came running through the door and quickly started to assess his condition. Davis and the lab tech relayed to him what had happened. Chase checked his pulse, and was relieved to find it. Cloud was breathing, but they were very shallow, "Let's get him to the infirmary." Charles came in quickly with a stretcher and they placed him on it. Davis and Charles carried him out the door to the infirmary right next door to the gym.

Harper was strapping Zack to the table in the lab. Zack was still foggy until he heard a panicked announcement over the intercom.

"What the fuck! What happened?" Zack struggled, but Harper said nothing. After he was all strapped down, a female lab tech walked in and was busy with something. He didn't remember seeing her before, however she did look a little familiar.

"What the hell happened? Look at me! Answer me!"

"There was an incident in the gym as far as I know," She said without looking up from what she was doing.

"No shit! What type of incident? Is Cloud okay? Tell me something!"

She turned around and said, "I don't know, I just saw them taking him to the infirmary."

"What! Can you find out? I need to know if he is okay!"

She looked down at her feet and meekly said, "I'll try, but I'm not promising anything."

Zack looked at her and sincerely said, "Thank you."

She left and Harper and he were left in the room. Zack looked up at him and asked, "So, do you like your job? Torture, pain and horror, you know the usual," Harper glared at him. It seemed to him that Harper really didn't want to be there. Without any confirmation from the guard, Zack shrugged, "I don't blame you for not wanting to be here, I don't want to be here either."

The lab tech came back in and she headed back over to where she had been before and said nothing. She hung her head down as if she had just gotten a beating, "Well, did you find anything out?" She shook her head, "Damn it!" Zack cursed.

An agonizing 3 hours later, he was still strapped to the table and Harper stood guard next to him. Drake came in and relieved Harper. Zack asked curious but annoyed, "Shift change?" Drake looked down at him and made eye contact, "You don't talk much do you?" He looked like he wanted to say something, but he never said anything. His eyes looked sad and sunken in a little, as if he hadn't slept much.

The lab tech had since left, so he took a quick look around and noticed that a sturdy looking chair had been added to the furniture in the room. Just like the tables, it had straps for each wrist, ankle, the chest and hips. Getting bored quickly, he began to count the variety of medical books on the large bookcase opposite him, "157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162," The doors opened and Davis came in dragging an unconscious Cloud. Zack noticed a steady string of drool from his mouth and dripping to the floor. Getting him to the chair, Davis strapped him in, "Cloud!" The blond did nothing, "Spike!" he yelled louder. Cloud's head hung down and jerked a little, but his eyes remained half closed, "Hey buddy, how are ya? Come on, talk to me!" He still said nothing. Zack looked at Davis, "What happened?"

Davis looked around and saw Hojo wasn't in there, "Stupid kid dropped the bar on his chest."

In shock, Zack asked, "How much weight was on there?!"

He looked around again, "Not sure, it was a lot though. He didn't break any bones. How weird is that?"

Zack looked over at Cloud and the drool dripped from his relaxed lips to his lap, "The doctor dosed him with some drugs. Not really sure what it was, but it must be some good stuff! I guess he's not gonna put out tonight," Davis laughed.

Zack shot him a look, "Unlike you, I don't have to drug my dates to get them to put out."

Davis glared back. Suddenly he heard what sounded like a tiny giggle coming from none other than Drake, "Shut the fuck up Drake!" The silent man didn't utter another noise and dropped his head again.

Hojo walked through the door then, "Well let's get started." The two techs that came in with Hojo hurried over to the counter where they got the syringes of mako from.

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh I am perfectly serious. We have a schedule to keep. Z, you are just seeing the beginning, oh the things I have in store for you and C." The techs came over and the first shot went in followed closely by the second one.

Then he noticed the other two syringes coming at him, "What the fuck?" yelled Zack.

"We are running a little behind and we must make up for lost time," Hojo stated somewhat jovially. The third followed closely by the fourth needle added fuel to the fire and he felt like a wave of lava washed over him. Under normal circumstances, he was able to handle the pain that he knew was temporary, but four shots was three shots too many now. A built up scream came out in a burst of sound that made Hojo and the others jump. Drake covered his ears and Davis winced at the pain it was causing his ears.

Cloud opened his eyes a little and blankly glanced in Zack's direction and his head drooped again as he closed his eyes again. Zack pulled at the restraints as it waved. The restraint around his chest stretched as his back arched. His left wrist made a snap sound as the bone gave way under the pressure. Lifting his chin, the top of his head touched the table as he screamed through the pain.

They approached Cloud with his first injection and he didn't move at first as the mako went in his vein. About half way through the third injection, his body jolted straight and he gritted his teeth. His head went back just as Zack's had and his scream came as loudly as expected. Cloud yanked at his restraints and the chest strap began to stretch a little under the force of his convulsions. Three distinct snaps were heard as three of his ribs broke. As the initial pain fell, Cloud jerked and threw up.

"Specimen C," Hojo started, "Now just look at the mess you made. I am very disappointed in you!"

Zack mumbled, but he couldn't form words. His head jerked violently to the side. Zack let out a sharp cry of pain. Burton glanced over and blood ran from Zack's nose and a little from his mouth, "Professor, Z is bleeding."

Hojo looked up from his notes, "They will be fine; it is a known side effect." When he looked up, Cloud had blood coming from his nose and mouth also, "We will have the doctor check on them after he is done with his current assignment. Take them back to their cell for now," Hojo commanded.

They were completely at the mercy of the pain. There was no getting away from it.

As they were being taken back to their cell, Zack threw up on Davis. Heartlessly, the large guard dropped Zack to the floor and he fell in a lump and didn't move from the position he was in when he hit the ground. Unfortunately, he was still conscious, so every cell in his body could protest his very existence. Davis left and walked back to the lab.

Zack opened his eyes again and saw Drake pulling Cloud into the cell. Cloud was grunting and sobbing from the movement that caused the pain to continue to roll over again. As much as he wanted to escape, his body was at war with him. He didn't know how long he had actually been in the hallway, but Drake came and picked him up. Harper showed up and helped pull him up to his bed and laid him across it on his stomach in case he threw up again. Zack was facing Cloud and he was also on his stomach. Cloud and Zack were looking at each other from across the room, their eyes filled with torment. Zack closed his eyes and silently cried.

Doctor Chase entered the room with Charles, and the boys had not moved. If he hadn't been hung up in lab 1, he could have cared for their injuries quicker. As it was, it had been hours since their injections. He had a medical kit with him and went to assess Cloud first.

Taking his vitals, they rolled him over and removed his shirt. Cloud let out a weakened shriek from the sudden pain and then he just moaned and sobbed at the movement. A large bruise from the weight bar was more visible than it was before and the doctor knew that would happen. The other bruise was a little higher, right above the first one. He felt of his ribs and found the ones that were broken. The bar falling on him evidently weakened his ribs.

Charles held him up while Chase wrapped his chest. All Cloud could do was moan and sob through the process. Chase then moved his attention to the cuts on his wrists. He cleaned the wounds and wrapped them. Charles laid him back down on his side and Cloud again cried out in pain. The former soldier was able to focus his eyes by now and he looked over in his friend's direction. Zack was looking back at him; his eyes were a dull, full of pain and anger. Tears welled and fell over his lids, as did Cloud's.

The doctor went over to Zack and Charles turned him over and sat him up. At the movement, he sobbed and he squeezed his eyes shut. Just like with Cloud, Zack was just as limp. They removed his shirt and he checked his ribs and didn't find a break. He did have a good size bruise across his chest and hips from the restraints. His left wrist was obviously broken and needed to be set. Hojo refused to let them have any pain medicine because it could interfere with the mako injections, they didn't think it would help anyway with the mako levels as high as they were.

Chase gently lifted Zack's face up to look him in the eyes, "Zack, look at me… good… Your wrist is broken and I need to set it and wrap it. I Hojo won't allow me to give you anything for pain, so this is going to hurt. I'm going to immobilize it until I can get it in a cast." Zack just stared and more tears fell at the thought of more pain. His chin fell back to his chest. Charles laid him back down on his bed and prepared to hold him down. Chase got a hold of his wrist and counted to 3 and set it back into place. Zack screamed faintly. Much to Charles' surprise, he did not have to hold him at all. Dr. Chase rechecked their vitals and seemed satisfied that their side effects were just temporary. As they left, they covered them with their blankets. Zack and Cloud just stared at one another for a moment before they closed their eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." -John Lennon

**Nexus**

Chapter 7

It took another day for them to regain their ability to talk coherently. They still couldn't move much, just rolling from one side to the other, so to pass some of the time, Zack entertained Cloud with some dirty poems he had learned from the other cadets and soldiers in Soldier academy.

Three days after the double injections, they recovered enough to move around their cell. Cloud went and took a long hot shower before Zack did. While he was under the fall of hot water, his muscles relaxed and he breathed out a sigh, relieved. If only for a short time, any relief was welcome.

Once it was Zack's turn to shower, the cold water hit his already tense body. He cursed Cloud out loud for using all the hot water, making sure that Cloud heard him. Curling up in his blanket, he smiled at Zack's ranting. After his shower, he was freezing and Cloud had cruelly snagged his blanket. Crawling into bed next to Cloud, he hoped to get warmer.

* * *

The next morning, Charles and Harper showed up at the door with the news that they were due down in the lab. Zack hung his head, but Cloud however rapidly retreated into the bathroom. "No," Zack said quietly, "We aren't going without a fight."

"Hey that's okay, we figured as much. We'll leave you alone then," Charles said with a smile and then they did something unexpected, they left.

"Well, that was weird," Zack puzzled.

"They left without us?" Sticking his head around the bathroom wall to look at Zack.

"Yeah, I think so… No way it's that easy, something's up," The former Soldier said rather cautiously.

"Hey Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"What's that smell?"

Zack looked around and noticed something odd. There were small amounts of white smoke coming from where the walls met the floor from tiny holes, about every foot along both sides of the wall. Zack had never noticed the holes before. Running a nervous hand through his hair he informed Cloud, "They're gassing us. It looks like they beat us at our own game," Zack stated flatly, "I guess we are going to the lab…"

In a panic, Cloud's face dropped, running for the door, he started hitting and slamming himself into the metal. Panicked cries with every hit shook the former Soldier into action. Zack grabbed his friend's shoulders, shook him gently and turned him so they were face to face. Without trying to seem like he was surrendering, he made Cloud make eye contact with him, "Spiky, stop…"

Cloud pulled back and fought a bit more, Zack gripped his shoulders tighter and repeated quietly, "Stop…"

As much as it broke his heart, he led Cloud over to his bed and they sat down. Cloud's arms wrapped around his friend's torso and grabbed handfuls of his shirt, Zack just put his arms around him and calmly asked, "Hey, do you remember the time we went to the movie, it was the first time you met Kunsel?"

Cloud didn't look up, but he nodded his head and wiped at his face, "Yeah."

Zack gave Cloud's shoulders a quick squeeze, "What was the name of that movie?"

* * *

" _I met this infantryman on my last mission. We've hung out a couple of times and I think he's pretty cool," Zack lightly elbowed Kunsel, "You two should get along just fine." Furrowing his eyebrows, he said in an over-the-top deep voice, "You're both so serious."_

" _Someone has to take things seriously, you sure don't," Kunsel shot back with a smile._

_Again he elbowed the other Soldier, "Have you found a date for Rufus's birthday party?"_

_Trying to ignore him, Kunsel kept walking, "No, but I still have two months. Stop rushing me, I don't think I want to go anyway."_

_"Fine you big sour puss," Holding up his index finger, Zack loudly proclaimed, "Hey I got an idea!"_

" _Oh boy, we're in trouble now…"_

" _Hey, hear me out. Why don't we go see that new movie that just came out? I'll call and see if the little guy wants to go too."_

" _Sure. I'm up for a movie tonight," replied Kunsel, "Your treat right?"_

" _Yeah, my treat," After work, Zack dialed his phone as he walked back to his apartment._

" _Hello"_

" _Hey Spiky, it's Zack! Whatcha up to tonight?"_

" _Hey Zack! Uh…well nothing really. I was just gonna head over to the library for a while."_

" _As utterly stimulating as that sounds, me and Kunsel are headed out, wanna go too? I'm buyin!"_

" _Huh? Y…you want me to come with you?"_

" _Sure buddy! Why wouldn't I want you to come? Listen; just meet us at the courtyard exit at seven okay!"_

" _But I-"_

" _I'm not accepting no for an answer okay. See ya at seven!"_

_Cloud hung up his phone and tried to grasp what had just happened. They had hung out together before, but he just couldn't understand why Zack Fair, Soldier First Class, wanted him as a friend._

_After he got home, he had about an hour to get ready. He jumped in the shower and started getting dressed. Taylor, who was sitting on his bed, shocked at the sight of Cloud going out and not to the library, "Shut up Taylor. It's not that big of a deal."_

" _Well in all the time I've known you; I have never seen you go anywhere but work, the library, the mess hall, and the store."_

_Cloud smiled a little, "I decided my schedule needed a shake-up."_

_He was almost ready, just one more thing. Walking into the bathroom he looked at himself in the mirror. Picking up the brush, he ran the brush through his hair quickly before it could dry. Finally getting the results he wanted, he took a step back._

" _Hey, hurry up in there, I gotta go dude!" Taylor yelled._

" _Okay, hang on!" he responded. He bent down to pick up his towel, and put it back in its spot and turned back toward the mirror, "Damn!" His blond spikes stood up proudly on top of his head. Giving a loud sigh, he opened the door._

" _Finally!" Taylor said as he pushed past him. Cloud headed out the door and left to meet his new friend._

_Zack was already there standing next to another guy. Cloud's eyes looked at Zack with a puzzled expression, "I thought you were gonna stand us up! Hey Cloud this is Kunsel. Kunsel this is Cloud," Cloud and Kunsel exchanged handshakes and Cloud's eyes went back to Zack and his hair, "What's the matter buddy?" Zack asked._

" _You changed your hair…"_

" _Yeah! You like it?"_

" _It's gonna take some getting used to… Yeah I guess," he said, shrugging his shoulders._

_Zack slapped a hand on his shoulder and started walking out of the courtyard. With his hand still on his shoulder, he said, "You know it's all about the hair! Chicks dig it!" Zack laughed loudly._

_After walking for a while, they reached the theater. Zack walked up to the ticket booth and bought the tickets. Coming back holding the tickets out like he just won a trophy, big smile and all, "What are we seeing?" Cloud inquired._

" _Adventures in Choco Racing," Zack smiled, "It's supposed to be really funny; you'll love it."_

 _Kunsel asked,_ " _Hey I'm gonna go get some popcorn and drinks, ya'll coming?"_

" _Sure, can't have a movie without it!" Zack grabbed Cloud and pulled him along._

_After they loaded up on snacks and drinks, they headed into the theater. The previews were already playing and they finally found some seats close to the back. Zack sat in the middle and took up both arm rests. About halfway through the movie, Cloud was at the bottom of the popcorn bucket so he poured what was left in his hand. He shoved the handful of popcorn in his mouth. Kunsel reached over Zack and grabbed the bucket. He looked down at it, saw it was empty and looked back at Cloud. Smiling a nervous smile with cheeks full of popcorn, the young blond apologized, "Thuoory."_

_Kunsel sat back in his seat and put the empty bucket in the empty seat next to him. Under his breath, he mumbled "Figures."_

_Once the movie was over, they headed out of the theater and toward the diner, "Where are we going now?" Cloud inquired._

" _Me and Kunsel have this place that we love to eat at, you'll love it."_

_They walked up to the door and Cloud furrowed his eye brows as he read the sign, "Uncle Harvey's Home Cooking."_

_The cook and a waitress greeted them when they came in. Zack and Kunsel went right to a little square table in the back. While taking their seats, Zack said to the approaching waitress, "Hey there darlin."_

_The older woman, her hair slightly greying, made her way to the table, "Hey Zack, Kunsel, haven't seen ya around lately. How ya been doing?" she asked._

" _I…uh have been really busy, is all." Zack replied solemnly, trying not to remember the look in Angeal's deep soulful eyes when he asked him to kill him._

" _What are you boys gonna have tonight?"_

_Kunsel, "The usual for me."_

_Zack, "Me too."_

_Looking to Cloud, she asked, "What about you sweetie?"_

" _I guess…I'll have a burger, with everything, and…a Chocoberry blast soda please," The waitress took the menu from Cloud and with it she gave a light smack to the back of Zack's head. He looked up at her and gave her a smile and she winked back at him._

" _So Zack has told me about how you guys met. So you're from a little town too?"_

_Cloud was fidgeting with his napkin, "Yeah."_

_Zack, noticeably uncomfortable about the revelations about Cloud that reminded him of the mission in Modeoheim, changed the subject, "My mom called me the other day and said that they are planning a trip to Costa del Sol."_

" _Really? I wouldn't mind going there sometime," Cloud added._

" _It really isn't that big of a deal," Kunsel added, "That's where I'm from."_

_After a couple of more minutes of idle chit-chat and anecdotes, the food arrived and they dug right in. Even though he had finished off the big bucket of popcorn, he was still hungry. Zack grinned and said between bites, "You just stay away from my food, I'll finish it myself," Cloud blushed a little at the embarrassment. Kunsel laughed and elbowed Cloud, then continued cutting and stuffing steak in his mouth._

_As he cut up another piece of steak Kunsel said, "So tell me more about your family Cloud."_

_Swallowing his bite of burger, he raised his hand over his mouth, "It's just me and my mom."_

_Zack's curious eyes turned to him, "What happened to your dad?"_

_Cloud stopped and looked down. Shaking his head, he slowly answered while trying to keep up his composure, "I never knew him."_

_Zack's eyes shifted, "Oh sorry, didn't mean to meddle."_

_Swallowing audibly, Cloud replied,_ " _No, its okay. You didn't know."_

_They finished their dinner and Cloud pulled out his wallet. Zack lightly shoved at Cloud's hand, "I got it tonight."_

" _You got the movie tickets, it's only fair."_

" _Tell ya what; the next time you can get the bill. Okay?"_

" _Okay. Thanks. I'm gonna go wait outside," Hanging his head somewhat sadly, the younger of the three walked toward the door._

 _Watching the blond until he exited, Kunsel nudged his friend with his elbow,_ " _W_ _hat was all that about?"_

_Shrugging his shoulders, he replied, "Beats me."_

_After paying for the meal, Zack went back to the table to leave the tip. Kunsel stayed and got a tooth pick and started furiously digging at a stubborn piece of steak stuck in his teeth. As Zack laid the tip down, he noticed Cloud's phone on the table. Picking it up, he turned to leave, "Hey Zack, what's the deal?"_

_The sight in front of him stopped him in his tracks. It was Lisa. He had met Lisa while out running on the plate and had gotten her number. They went out a few times, but after getting to know her more, he began to get the feeling that she was probably the type that just loved men in uniform. As usual, Kunsel was right._

" _Oh hey Lisa…how ya been?" He slid the phone in his pocket._

" _Well, wondering where YOU have been," Crossing her arms quickly, she waited for an answer._

" _Oh, well…I was…really busy…" Rubbing the back of his head, "Ya know, work and all."_

" _You never called me back. Why?"_

_Seeing that Lisa had cornered him in the back of the dining room, Kunsel sighed and walked slowly over to rescue him._

" _Hey Zack, we gotta go, the General just called, we have urgent business to take care of," Kunsel lied._

" _Oh, great…see Lisa things have been really busy. I gotta go."_

_Zack and Kunsel quickly left the diner._

" _Thanks man!" Zack sighed in relief._

" _You owe me… again!"_

_Meeting up with Cloud, they started their walk back to the courtyard. Saying their goodbyes Cloud headed back to his room. As he walked to his room, the night's events played out and he let a smile light up his face at the thought of making new friends. Opening the door, it was dark so when he flipped the switch, his keys fell out of his hand. In shock, he looked into the eyes of each one who stood before him, "What are you guys doing in my room?! Where is Taylor?" He demanded._

" _I don't know where Taylor is," Rodgers stated harshly._

" _Lawrence, shut the door," Conners ordered quietly. There was three of them and one of him. 'Just like back home' he thought. Without anymore anticipation, Conners stepped up and kneed Cloud in the groin. Doubling over and grabbing at himself, that was when Rodgers took advantage and kicked him in the shoulder._

_As Cloud fell backwards to the floor, Conners sent a hard kick to his side. After a gasp and an involuntary yelp, Cloud rolled, holding on to his ribs. Putting his hand on his bed, he pushed himself back up, but faltered a step._

_Looking up, he saw that they stood close, and it sent his thoughts back to when they were kids, Jason Conners always got the upper hand, so he decided that he wasn't going down without a fight this time. Swinging a surprise punch, it made contact with Conners' cheek, sending him backward. Cloud followed up with another punch at Rodgers, making contact with his face._

_Reaching up, he elbowed Lawrence and that's when Rodgers jumped back in and threw a quick jab at Cloud's face. The force split his lip and caused his teeth to cut into the inside of his cheek. As a follow-up to the jab, Cloud's groin got another knee. Falling to the floor, he saw Lawrence headed his way, ignoring the pain, he swept his leg across the floor, knocking Lawrence's legs out from underneath him. Lawrence fell back and his head made hard contact with Taylor's bed knocking him out._

_'Well that's one down, two to go,' Cloud thought to himself and then got two more kicks to his side and a stomp on his hand. As they continued the beating, all he could do at that point was cover his head with his hands._


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not now or before and most likely not in the future, own Final Fantasy, Square Enix or any of the characters.
> 
> A/N: Here is the continuation of the flashback from the previous chapter. With alittle bit of tweaking, the updates should be more regular from now on, thanks to my beta. As long as my schoolwork doesn't suffer, I will work on these chapters to get them ready for you. I thankyou for your patience.

"Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have of them." –Marcel Proust

**Nexus**

Chapter 8

_Back at his apartment, Zack started to undress when he noticed he still had Cloud's phone. Knowing that he would need it before he saw the blond again in a couple of days, he would just run it over to him. Getting his shirt back on, he left and got to the barracks building quicker than he thought he would. Straining to try to remember the blonde's room number, he snapped his fingers and quietly said to himself, "Oh yeah, 127."_

_His mako-enhanced hearing picked up the sounds of a fight as he walked down the hall, but it wasn't usual for guys to get into fights, especially on the weekends when the alcohol seemed to flow freely. However, getting closer to Cloud's room, the noise was getting louder._

_Swinging the door open, he saw his young friend on the floor, bloody. Taking notice of one of the other guys' faces, one of them had a few bruises and a split lip and another one was laid out, "What the hell is going on in here?!" Zack demanded._

_At the sight of a superior officer, out of habit, the two standing soldiers snapped to attention, "Sir!" Lawrence came around by then and jumped to attention too._

_Cloud lifted his head and looked at Zack with one eye already swollen shut, blood dripping from his mouth. As Zack made his way to Cloud, the three guys took off running. Looking after the three escaped assailants, Zack helped Cloud up, "You know you shouldn't party so hard, you look like shit." Cloud held his ribs with one hand and his groin in the other. Zack left him sitting on the bed as he went and got a wet wash cloth, "What was their problem?"_

" _I don't know," Cloud responded with an angrier tone than intended._

" _Well I guess it's a good thing that you left your phone on the table at the diner then," Zack dug Cloud's phone out of his pocket and laid it on the night table._

_Taylor walked in and his mouth dropped open, "What the fuck happened?" Seeing Zack there, he snapped to attention._

_With rehearsed calmness, Zack returned the salute, "At ease."_

_Relaxing, Taylor shambled over to toss his jacket on to his own bed, "Was it them again?" Cloud nodded his head negligibly._

" _What do you mean again? This has happened before?!" Zack asked angrily._

" _He won't say-" Taylor started until he was interrupted._

" _S-Shut up Taylor," Cloud said in an aggravated tone._

 _Taylor started picking up the mess that covered the room and_ _Cloud lifted himself to his feet, winced at the pain in his groin, limped his way to the bathroom and slammed the door. The two brunettes jumped at the sudden explosion. Looking at each other briefly, Taylor returned his attention back to the mess. Zack stood in the middle of the room for a moment in disbelief. When he heard the shower come on, he started out the door, still completely baffled and angry as he went back to his apartment._

* * *

Waking up in the lab and already strapped to the tables, Cloud blinked a few times, trying to clear the drowsiness from his head. A groan came out loudly expressing his distaste of being back in the lab. Looking over to Zack, he was slowly moving his head, Cloud's voice was quiet from the dryness in his throat, "Hey. Zack…"

Zack's head jerked with a grimace as his eyes opened slowly. Moving his head, he looked around until he found Cloud, "Shit. Figures we would wake up in here." Zack watched as one of the lab techs approached him with his round of mako shots.

After they received their shots, and fortunately it was only two, Hojo was busy talking to three of his techs and the doctor. Hojo and the doctor seemed to be disagreeing about something until the doctor looked over at Cloud, pointed at him and then turned his eyes back to Hojo. Doctor Chase stormed out of the labs like a whirl-wind. Hojo nodded to his techs and two of them went over to Cloud, they began cutting away his clothing, leaving him in his boxers. All the flailing against the straps that Cloud was doing was pointless.

Zack yelled at Hojo, "What is going on? Answer me you sick son of a bitch? Or are you too much of a coward to look at me? Leave him alone!" Hojo just ignored him. Zack began to struggle against his restraints, but all he could do was sit there and listen to Cloud pleading with the demented scientist.

"Mr. Wolfe, start the IV," The Professor ordered as he looked over some notes and some sort of metal looking object shrink wrapped in plastic, then he went over to a large sink and washed his hands vigorously. One of the techs brought a mask and gloves that Hojo was going to put on as soon as he was done.

Zack looked back to an overly panicked Cloud, "Spiky…Spiky look at me," Cloud turned his head to face him, "Just keep your eyes on me."

"O…Okay, I'm scared," The tears that filled his eyes fell to the top of the table.

"I know buddy, but I'm right here with you. Okay. Just keep your eyes on me."

Once the other tech, had everything gathered on the side table, he wheeled it over to the table. Picking up a syringe the same size as the mako ones; however the contents were a purple color instead of green. The tech took hold of the IV port and inserted the needle pushing the contents. Ice filled his veins as the substance flowed throughout his now shivering body. Breaking out in a cold sweat he held back a scream as he closed his eyes.

"Spiky, I'm right here with you," Zack managed a small reassuring tone.

Hojo came over and picked up a different syringe; Cloud looked at Hojo, then the syringe, while stifling another scream. Zack maintained a calm voice, even though he raged inside, "Spiky look at me! Don't look there; just keep your eyes on me," Hojo injected the contents into Cloud's IV port.

Cloud was still looking at Zack as a weak voice trailed out, "Zac...k…" Slowly closing eyes, his face and body fully relaxed. When Hojo picked up the next item, Zack's eyes unconsciously widened.

Hojo wiped alcohol and betadine on the surgical site, then placed his gloved hands on the blond's abdomen right below the left side of his ribcage. Making an incision, blood trickled out of the incision onto the table.

One of the techs opened the plastic and Hojo reached for the square metal object. It was about the size of a deck of cards. Implanting the device in Cloud's abdomen took him forever and Zack got to watch the entire show. Apparently, getting the object established and seated in his abdomen was a little difficult to get everything hooked up to allow it to work properly, or so Hojo bitched quietly under his breath.

When he finished stitching up that incision, he picked up a scalpel again. Making a second incision on his abdomen closer to his hip, this time the tech handed him something that looked to be about the size of a walnut. It was crimson in color and looked to Zack like it could be flesh. Hojo took his time in implanting the second item and then he finally stitched him up.

"You're going to burn in hell for all this, you know that?" Zack stated slowly.

"You might want to keep that tongue of yours under control Z. For my project, you actually don't need one," Hojo stated without any inflection of emotion as he turned back to his assistants.

Hojo stepped out into the hallway and called to Davis, Drake and Charles, "take both specimens over to Lab 2." Lifting the limp young man over to the gurney, they wheeled him across the hall. Releasing Zack's restraints, Drake followed the others across the hall.

Lab 2 was where their nightmare had begun when they had woken up in the tanks. It still held the two tanks and one metal operating table. The lab techs were busy getting things together and pushing buttons. The female technician came over and added another bag to Cloud's IV, glowing green mako. Hojo came over with an intubation tube and proceeded to intubate him. They placed electrodes to his chest, abdomen and temples and carried him to one of the tanks and anchored him to the bottom, just like when they had woken up the first time.

Then it was Zack's turn. Getting him down to his underwear and on the table, they started his IV. Drake stood there next to him and Zack finally made himself calm down. As the electrodes were placed on his chest, abdomen and temples, the former Soldier glared at Hojo without blinking. Another technician headed for his IV tubes with a bag of mako. The female technician inserted a sedative into his IV and Zack fought it, but he eventually succumbed to it. The technicians and guards got him settled in his tank and filled it up.

* * *

_Cloud floated and drifted through an abyss of darkness and flickers of light, "Where am I?" He screamed out and the darkness just swallowed his voice. He put his hands to sides of his head and screamed in frustration and fright. When he heard a voice very quietly call his name, he lowered his hands slowly and looked around at a strange type of library. It had rows and rows of nameless books and boxes and one single table in the middle of the tall shelves. A woman_ __with long silver hair and piercing green eyes_ wearing a white flowing dress sat silently, fingering a few of the browning pages with her delicate hands, she was oddly beautiful. Standing up, she moved her arms out, ready to embrace him, reluctantly he walked closer to her._

" _Come... come to me," She smiled gently._

_Approaching her cautiously, he asked, "Who are you?"_

" _Do you not recognize your mother?"_

_Taking a step back, he angrily said, "You are not my mother!"_

" _That is not true, deep down you know the truth."_

_Hearing footsteps behind him, he turned to see the woman he grew up knowing was his mother. She passed him and walked over to where the other woman stood, "You know why you never knew your father?"_

" _No, don't do this mom!" Shaking his head, he begged, "Please…don't."_

_Her face twisted in anger, "I hated the idea of YOU."_

" _No…"_

" _I was stuck with YOU. My reminder of_ him _, day after day… everyday… All alone."_

" _I can't listen to this," He said, shaking his head again._

_She waved her hand and passively said, "I tried to find someone to take you but no one wanted you."_

_Putting his face in his hands, he screamed, "No! It can't be true, I love you mom and you love me! That's what you told me!"_

" _No one would take you…" Her voice sounded far away, drifting through the air._

 _When he lowered his hands he stood in a bright white room with a very large window that looked out over Mt. Nibel. The woman from the library was standing in the middle of the white floor wearing a blood red dress that moved and flowed on its own, "They didn't want you, but I do._ I _love you Cloud." She wrapped her arms around him as well as her dress, warm and inviting, "Let_ me _love you Cloud, I will never lie you," Softly, she stroked his hair._

_Standing stiffly, he kept his hands down at his sides, "I don't understand." When her dress unwrapped from him, he was stunned to be standing alone in the Nibelheim reactor. From behind him he heard a cough, a familiar sound and turning around he saw Tifa, lying on the ground, bleeding. Gently picking up her head, he whispered, "I'm sorry Tifa. I said I would protect you, but I let this happen."_

_Reaching up, she touched his face gently and softly. When her eyes closed she said, "I love you, I have always loved you. Tell me you love me too, please," Opening her eyes, they were the brilliantly dark brown that he could never forget._

" _Tifa… I don't understand what's happening. Help me to understand, please!"_

_Taking his face in her hands, her lips brushed his gently at first. Pulling her closer, he kissed her back, but then he pulled back, just a little. Closing his eyes, he exhaled and opened his eyes again to see the woman in red. Shaking his head he asked, "Why this is happening?"_

" _Let me show you. All you have to do is just take me as yours. Then you will have all the answers you need," She held her arms out to him again._

" _I can't…I just can't!"_

_The woman disappeared, but her voice echoed all around him, "I will be right here with you. When you are ready to take me into your arms, and accept my love, come to me. I will take the pain, heartache, and frustration away."_

" _Who are you?"_

" _I am the one, the only one, who will love you, I am Jenova."_

* * *

Hojo entered the clinic and addressed the doctor, "Doctor Chase, I feel that with your current duties, you are being stretched too thin. I have decided to take on a new doctor. He is fresh out of medical school and graduated at the top of his class."

Doctor Chase looked at Hojo and shook his head, "Do you think I can't handle the workload?" He was visibly annoyed.

"It isn't that. I just want a doctor around the clock, available in the labs. We have many specimens and more are to come." Hojo moved toward the door and then turned, "Are you coming?"

In Lab 1, Hojo, Wolfe, Burton and Dr. Chase got busy with their duties. Dr. Chase was looking at the monitor that held the readouts from the leads. The monitor that was wired to the electrodes on Sephiroth's temples started showing some activity, "Professor Hojo, we have some activity here."

Hojo looked at the monitor and he almost bounced in place with excitement, "Do you know what this means Dr. Chase?"

"Yes sir," Chase said somewhat annoyed.

The phone rang and Burton picked it up, "Professor. There is strange activity happening with specimen C."

"I will be right back, get a print out of those readings," Hojo said walking out the door heading to Lab 2. As he entered, the female tech had already printed out the EEG activity from specimen C. She handed it to him as he looked over at his blond subject, as he twitched slightly, like he was dreaming, "Interesting." Heading back to Lab 1 he looked at the two printouts and new information something struck him, "Both specimen's EEG readouts are identical, very interesting indeed!"


	9. Chapter 9

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." -Albert Einstein

**Nexus**

Chapter 9

Opening his eyes, he blinked several times and moved his confused gaze around the room, only able to make out a few people as they stood in front of him. When he reached up for what seemed stuck in his mouth he was shocked to see his hands; tied to the bottom of... a mako testing chamber?

Anger and panic began to lead his struggle against the bindings. The lab shot into action in that instant. Sephiroth sank to the bottom of the tank with the water level and unable to grab at the tube in his throat. The loud beeping of a heart monitor began to grow more rapid with the hammering of heart in his chest, a raging panic built up as he flailed weakly. Weakness was something that he never had to deal with because he was the General of Shinra, the strongest Soldier on Gaia.

Quickly opening the tank, a man turned him on to his back, "I'm Doctor Chase, please try to relax while I remove the tube." Wildly, his eyes looked around trying to make sense of the situation. Forcing himself to relax, he wanted to flail out at the doctor in the lab coat, he hated the white lab coats, white walls and white tile floors that signified everything he hated about his childhood.

Once the tube was removed, he coughed up some thick green liquid on the floor of the tank. A lab tech came and gave the doctor a syringe that was injected in his arm muscle.

Hoarsely, the silver-haired man asked, "…Where…am I?" A quick survey of the room made a shiver run through him. Gaia, he hated the man who stood in front of him.

"Just relax please," Hojo insisted.

"Hojo, did you do this? What have you done?" Sephiroth's voice grated out. Trying to clear the irritating feeling deep in his throat, he coughed up more of the thick green liquid.

"My, my, so many questions," Hojo stated, "There will plenty of time for that later. You need rest. Get him to his cell."

Doctor Chase started untying his legs, wrists and removed the monitor leads that covered his upper body. Sapping what little strength he had, he pushed up until he could lean his head against the side of the tank. Realizing he nakedness, he tried to cover himself in a subtle attempt to regain back some control. Lab assistant Burton called Drake and Charles in from the hallway. Picking up his limp and uncooperative body, they carried him over to a gurney that stood at the ready. That was when the cold hit him and Hojo lifted a sheet over his wet body.

Rolling down a hallway, he shivered uncontrollably. The hallway was eerie and he thought that he vaguely knew this place, _felt_ as though he should know this place.

Reaching their destination, he was carried to and placed on an old and sparse cot. The cold started to settle in his bones. Wrapping his arms around himself, he only had a damp sheet; he had no blanket, no clothes and no idea what was going on. Although he would never admit out loud that he was scared, that is what was going on his mind.

Only when he was a small child, while growing up in the labs, was he this frightened. He always knew that he was born of Shinra's manipulation; but he never knew of his birth mother or who his biological father was. He never expressed his feelings of fright to Hojo, because all it accomplished was some new experiment or painful punishment.

Now, laying on his side and lowering his forehead to his drawn up knees, he felt as he did then, afraid and vulnerable. As the sedative took effect, he closed his eyes and let a tear slip past his eye lid.

* * *

The water drained from the tank and Cloud was slowly waking. Doctor Chase began the tedious process of getting him out of the tank. The blond just lay there with his eyes closed, feeling both unable and unwilling to move. Behind his mask of sleep he fought, reliving what had brought them to this lab in the first place.

Just being so tired, he just wanted to be left alone, but Drake pulled him from the tank and put him on a gurney despite his unspoken wishes. Peeking through his half-open eyelids, Zack was in the other tank, sleeping, as he floated in his green tinted water.

Closing his eyes again, Cloud shivered against the cold and as he was wheeled back to his cell, he felt a strange feeling the closer he got to it. He shook it off as he did the nightmares and dreams he had while he was unconscious. "Thank you Drake," he said with a small, fragile smile that faded as quickly as it appeared. He remembered how Drake's kind eyes always seemed to want to help them as much as he could.

Trying to remember what happened, all he could recall was getting his mako injections and then he woke up in the tank again. Turning his head to face the wall, he stayed on his back. Squeezing his eyes shut, he battled with a rising sob only because of the repetition of this process. He rolled on to his side and curled up in a ball trying to fend off the cold. Drake came back in the room with a large pile of folded clothes and blankets. Without looking at the silent man, Cloud kept his eyes to the ground, he couldn't look in those kind eyes here; he had to hate this place, and everyone here completely.

Cloud went through the clothes and removed his wet boxers and put the dry clothes on. The strange feeling he had in the hallway had gone away, but he wondered what it could be. Cloud put Zack's clothes on the other bed and then he curled up with both blankets and fell asleep.

Waking up to Zack being brought in, the larger man was still somewhat unconscious, but Cloud asked Drake and Davis as they lay Zack on the other bed, "How long were we in the tanks?"

Of course Drake said nothing but Davis smiled devilishly, "We are not allowed to divulge any information, sweet thing." When Davis winked, Cloud cringed, looking away quickly, not wanting to see the intent behind those empty hazel eyes, he listened as they left.

Going over to his unconscious friend, he wanted to get Zack dressed in the dry clothes and the sooner he did that, the sooner he could cuddle up to the larger man under the blankets and get warm again.

The brunette didn't stir when his legs were pushed off the bed, leaving him lying on his back on the mattress and feet on the cold tile floor. Oddly enough, Cloud almost broke a sweat pulling the wet boxers off of his friend, but trying to wrestle dry boxers on a wet body proved a bit more of a challenge. Standing over the sleeping man, Cloud straddled his outstretched legs as he slowly wiggled the plain white boxers up Zack's thighs. However, Zack didn't help when he chose that moment to move his legs, unbalancing the blond and knocking him over on to his chest. Now face to face, Zack mumbled about not wanting to go to work.

Pushing himself off of the broad chest, Cloud rolled his eyes and mumbled back, "I'm just trying…" with a grunt, he lifted the man's hips with one arm as he yanked up the boxers with the other hand, "…to get you dressed." Standing up, he crossed his arms with a pant and debated on whether or not to finish dressing him, "You're too damn heavy," Scratching his head, he sighed, "But I'm not cuddling with you if you don't have any clothes on." All the rest of the time that Cloud dressed him, Zack groaned and mumbled to leave him alone and getting weakly slapped many more times during the process made the blond smile at his oblivious friend.

When Zack was fully dressed he curled up with him under the blankets. Now that it was quiet, and warmer, he thought of something that scared him; his dream or whatever it was. It seemed so real, so he didn't know whether he should tell Zack or not, he could wait until he woke up and decide then.

Finally waking up, he startled and Cloud woke up when Zack jerked up to sitting. With a groan, he grabbed his head and lay back down. From his back, he asked the boy next to him, "Hey buddy, how ya doing?"

Cloud rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "I'm alright I guess. You?"

"I'm doing okay I suppose," Zack stretched his arms up over his head, "I barely remember coming back to this damn cell." Sitting up, he took his time getting to his feet, "I gotta go to the bathroom." Stopping in the middle of the floor he asked, "What the hell? How…? What…?!"

"What's the matter?" Cloud sat up slowly, yawned loudly and turned to see what his friend was talking about.

Zack was looking down at his shorts, "Well first off, both of my legs are in one leg hole in my shorts." Twisting at his waist, he attempted to look at his rear end, "Second, my underwear is goin' up my ass!" Cloud covered his mouth, but couldn't stifle the laugh. Zack looked up and sounding a tiny bit annoyed, "What? Why are you laughing? It's not that funny," The brunette said as he went into the bathroom.

Cloud continued to laugh and had to tell him what happened, "I did the best I could - I mean you're really not easy to dress - when you're only half conscious!"

Zack stuck his head around the corner, "You mean you did this?" Cloud nodded his head and snickered.

"Well no wonder," Zack laughed a little and then he noticed his wrist was healed. He mulled over his next question and scrunched his face up as he quietly asked, "How long were we in the tanks?" His memories rushed back when he remembered Cloud's impromptu surgery. Coming out of the bathroom, he sat down next to Cloud and without saying anything to his blond friend, he pushed him back a little and lifted the front of the blonde's shirt and looked at his belly.

Cloud got an odd look on his face, furrowed his eyebrows and twisted his lips in slight indignation as Zack looked his abdomen over and answered absentmindedly, "Don't know, they didn't tell me anything." Leaning back a bit more, he looked at Zack and with curious annoyance asked, "What are you looking for?"

Zack pointed to two dusky scars that dipped smoothly on his stomach, "Remember after the mako injections?" Cloud nodded, "Well Hojo operated on you and put a couple of things in there."

Cloud sat up straight, pulled at his skin and looked closer, "What? What things?!" His breathing increased.

Zack moved to sit with his back against the wall, looking at his friend's profile, "Some metal thing that was square and a red thing. I don't know what they were. He didn't tell me anything, I just got to watch." Zack put his hand on Cloud's back and tried to lighten the mood, if only just a little, "I wish I could tell you that he put a genie in there. Then all I would have to do is rub your belly and a genie would pop out of your ass and we could get out of here," Zack smiled and patted his back.

Cloud looked over his shoulder at him, "A genie? Really? Get serious Zack." Cloud ran his fingers over the scars and he thought he could feel something hard just under his skin. Making himself relax, he leaned back on the wall next to Zack and he wondered what was next. What else could Hojo do? Turn them into the creatures that were in those pods at the reactor. His body shuddered at the thought of what was done to him and he had no control at all, unconsciously, his fingers outlined the gentle scars. His mind went back to the dream though. A few minutes later Cloud got his friend's attention, "I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure, what's up?" Zack clapped his hands and rubbed them together to warm them.

"Well, while we were in the tanks, I had a dream. Well I guess it was a dream. I don't know what it means, but it felt so real," Cloud's eyes filled with worry and apprehension, "It scares me and I'm afraid of what it means."

"Wait…What are you scared of?" Zack tensed when he sat up and clenched his fists. Cloud dropped his eyes, and didn't say anything. Zack grabbed his shoulders and turned him, "What is it Cloud?"

Cloud averted his gaze again and then lowered his voice to a soft whisper that Zack almost couldn't hear, "Jenova."

* * *

Still on his bed when the sedatives wore off, he was still cold and shivering violently, despite the thin sheet. Slowly standing up, he looked around the cell. It was a bare room with cold white tile walls and floors, the unfortunate quintessential laboratory holding cell.

Walking around, he inspected his new prison, it was as welcoming as any other holding cell could be. Going into the bathroom, he felt light headed and weakened again. Leaning on the bathroom counter, he closed his eyes and felt like he was in the hallway that he had been in earlier.

For some reason, he felt scared and sleepy again. Squeezing his eyes shut tighter, he thought he could see a door in his mind. Raising his hands to his head, he let out a groan. There was something else, but he couldn't quite grasp what the other thing was. The door in his mind opened and then there was nothing. The vision stopped and he noticed that he had fallen to his knees.

Hanging his head, he noticed something odd, an enormous scar half way around his body. What battle did he get that, it wasn't any scar that he remembered getting. Not that he had many, but every scratch and every injury he ever got, he knew when, where and who it was that inflicted them. This one wasn't known to him, no battle, no training accident, nothing. With a quivering hand, he traced it with his fingers, as his trembling voice asked, "What is happening?"

* * *

In the morning, the door opened and Davis and Charles came in, "Alright boys, time to go."

Sarcasm came easily for Zack and he was able to wield it as well as any sword, "You mean you're letting us go?"

"Real funny Fair. It may surprise you, but off to the lab you go," Davis spoke up.

"Figures," Cloud remained straight-faced.

"And here I was gonna put you on my Christmas card mailing list," Zack retorted.

"Shut up Fair. Let's go," Davis ordered.

Zack stood and tensed his shoulders and flexed his fists and his stance inferred to Cloud that they were in for a fight. As soon as Davis was close enough, Zack planted his fist right on his nose. With Davis going down holding his nose, he went for Charles.

Seeing the attack coming, Charles braced himself, but still got a punch to the side of his face knocking him to the side away from the door he was blocking. Grabbing a handful of the guard's hair, he pulled up a bit on his head and shot an elbow down hard on the back of his neck, knocking Charles out cold. Davis was up by then and threw a punch at Zack, making contact right above his eye. Davis's punch didn't stop Zack's forward momentum though, as the former Soldier moved like a speeding train. With the boost of speed, an elbow went to his target's face sending the guard back to the floor. From behind the hand that held his bleeding nose, Davis cursed, "Motherfucker!"

Now there was nothing standing between them and the open door, Zack peeked out to the hall. Clear of anyone, he and Cloud closed and locked the door behind him, leaving Davis and Charles in the cell. One of the sweetest sights was in front of him, a sign that pointed to the exit.

Darting across the hall with Cloud close behind him, Zack froze and they flattened themselves against the wall. Two soldiers were coming around the corner to get to their post, Lawrence and another soldier he hadn't seen before. Zack glanced over his shoulder at Cloud and mouthed the question, "Ready?"

Not having to think long about his answer; a single curt nod, Cloud followed Zack as they stayed close to the wall and quietly made their way toward the clueless soldiers. Too busy talking to each other, they didn't see them approaching, fast. Zack got to them first and quickly reached out his hands to the backs of their heads. In a strange and humorous attack, he bashed their heads together and then he took the bigger guy on the left.

Cloud took Lawrence, making contact with a left, the blond followed up with a right. Sending Lawrence back into the wall, the smaller brunette infantry soldier slid to the floor.

Zack got hit on the side of his neck with the baton as the bigger guy fell back. Instinctively, Zack grabbed at his neck, but still rolled over and pinned down the soldier by his throat and asked for his keys. The guy reached down to his belt and pulled the keys off of the detachable loop. Zack looked at his name tag and said, "Thanks…Private Stringer. You're gonna give us a good 20 minutes before you call this in right? Cause I would hate to have to kill you right here." Stringer nodded his head yes vigorously, "Good boy," After Zack patted the top of the downed guard's head; he handcuffed him to the unconscious Lawrence.

They took off through the door into the long cavern that led to the stairs. Puzzled, Cloud spoke first, "We're underground? No wonder it's so damn cold."

Zack searched the area for a way out and said, "I just want to get out of here. We'll worry about that later." Finding some stairs, they sprinted up and into the mansion.

Cloud shook his head and asked what was on both of their minds, "We're still in Nibelheim?!"

Hearing a noise, Zack turned and saw Cloud go face down on the top of the stairs. Davis was already putting restraints around Cloud's wrists behind him. The large guard pulled out a baton and pointed at Cloud. Blood dripped from Davis' face to the front of his shirt, covering a large portion of the material.

Then from behind Zack, a fist knocked him down the first few stairs. With a knee and an arm from another guard, someone managed to pin his wrists and slapped some handcuffs on him. Looking over his shoulder, Zack saw Harper with a satisfied grin.

Back down the stairs, going back toward the labs, Davis stretched his arm out and shoved Cloud into the wall as they walked. The side of Cloud's head contacted the wall, "Oh, sorry about that," Davis wore his smirk well.

"What the hell was that?!" Zack yelled, but Davis ignored him.

He took Cloud into the lab and strapped him on to his table. In the struggle to get him on the table it caused Davis to pinch his finger in one of the restraints. Davis back-handed him across the face. Leaning over to Cloud's ear, he whispered, "I'll be seeing you later." Buckling the chest restraint, a smile crossed his face that any pervert would be proud of.

Hojo turned and eyed Davis and with a firm and rigid tone, the professor warned, "That will be quite enough of that." All Cloud could do was wiggle in his restraints as his frustration and disgust filled the air. Davis just laughed as he walked out of the room. The soldiers walked Zack past Cloud to the other table.

"Well Z, you haven't been acting up again have you?" Hojo asked with a steely smile.

Zack raised his head so he could make eye contact with Hojo. Pure hatred and loathing shot out of his eyes through his mussed black spikes.

Hojo laughed out loud and it sent chills down Cloud's spine, "Well while you two were sleeping, a most interesting result in our project occurred. Now I will be taking my project in a different direction," Hojo leaned into Cloud's face, "You displayed certain abilities and I will be studying this a little closer."

He began struggling on the table again, "Why can't you just leave us alone? I just want to go home-" Stopping short at what he had said, he lowered his eyes from Hojo's and swallowed the tears back. Zack glanced over at him and a lump filled his throat.

Hojo laughed again and nodded to the techs and they retrieved the mako syringes, "Because you both misbehaved so grievously, you will both get a double dose of your injections."

* * *

Sephiroth lay in a ball trying to conserve as much heat as possible. The door opened and a large man with dirty blond hair walked in with a pile of clothing. Seeing that he brought clothing, the man sat up and held the bed so that his spinning head didn't knock him to the floor. What he really wanted to do was jump up and kill the man, but he just didn't have the strength.

Instead of attacking, he used what weapon he still had, the hardened face of a war machine, but the deathly glare won him nothing but silence.

Not getting the resulting fear from the man that he had wanted, Sephiroth decided to recede his glare and broke the silence and questioned the man who stood in the doorway, "What do I call you?"

Drake pointed to his name badge and took a step forward.

Standing slowly, he reached out to take the clothes and coldly asked, "Drake? Well, Drake, can you tell me where-?"

Drake watched as the prisoner suddenly collapsed on the floor, harshly writhing in pain. Sitting down next to him, Drake stayed with him until he ceased screaming.

As the pain started subsiding he opened his unique eyes, again wondering where he was until he remembered waking up in front of the mad scientist while in a tank and being taken to a less than welcoming cell. A warm hand wrapped around his pale arm and he recoiled from the silent guard.

Still clutching his clothing to his chest, he scurried back, a fear he hadn't ever felt before, a fear that wasn't his own, harbored in his gut as he fought away the tears of pain and fright. His once stern voice that made men tremble in horror now shook and he questioned like a fearful, beaten child would have asked, "W-Why is this ha-happening?"


	10. Chapter 10

"A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward." -Ovid

**Nexus**

Chapter 10

" _Hey mom, I'm home."_

" _Hi sweetheart, how was school?"_

" _Fine…"_

" _Cloud, are you fighting with those boys again?"_

_He fidgeted uncomfortably, "I…I'm not…yes…"_

" _I hate seeing you alone all the time. You're fourteen now and you need some friends. I wish they would just try to see how wonderful you are."_

" _Yeah, okay mom, whatever."_

_Giving him a big hug, she reached up and stroked his hair, "Honey is something else on your mind? I know that look."_

" _It's…It's nothing…"_

" _Cloud, if something is bothering you, I might be able to help."_

" _Well, I was wondering," Fidgeting with his hands nervously, he finally raised his eyes to his mother's, "How come you never talk about my father?"_

_Her face dropped and painful tears churned in her eyes as she turned and ran to the bathroom. Watching his mother fall apart in front of him, he couldn't get to his room fast enough. Diving on his bed, his face buried deep in his pillow, he silently wept. He had hurt his mother, the one person who really loved him, who knew the real him._

_In the still quiet of the house, he could hear her crying, that was worse than anything that the bullies in town could do. Taking the pillow, he pulled it out from under his face and put it over the back of his head, futilely trying to muffle out his mother's cries._

_A few days later, it was Friday and school was out and the thought crossed his mind that at least the taunts would stop for a couple of days. He could just stay home and leave the rest of the world outside. Walking home a different way than the other kids, he hoped to keep away from everyone as much as possible._

" _Hey, Cloud!"_

_Turning around, he saw Tifa. A quick and nervous look, Cloud quickly searched to see if anyone saw him there with her. Lowering his chin, he spoke quietly, "You're not supposed to be around me, remember?"_

_With a nonchalant wave of her hand she smiled, "_ _Oh pu-leese, you think I care what they say?"_ _Cloud was hesitant, but Tifa was difficult to resist._ _"_ _Come on, walk with me. I'm going to the lookout."_

_"_ _What? I can't, I'll get in trouble with your dad again," He kicked at some rocks and dirt with the toe of his sneaker._

_She looked at him and in a mischievous tone, "Really? Oh shut up!" Grabbing his hand, she took off, dragging him with her. When they reached their destination and Tifa's smile widened, "There, now that's not so bad now is it?" Her smile was pleasant and relaxed._

" _No, I guess not," Hanging his head, he prayed that no one would see them._

" _Oh stop. You brood way too much!" She smiled and then gestured with her hand, "Look around! Everything is really quite pretty, if you look hard enough."_

_Looking at her smiling face as she stared off into the small valley on the other side warmed him. Taking a seat near the edge, she walked a couple of steps away and he couldn't help but look at her. She was angelic, her skin glowing, eyes glistening and a dazzling smile, he could look at her every day for the rest of his life._

_Plopping down next to him, she grabbed his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. His spine straightened and he began to sweat a little. The feel of her bare arm touching his arm made him blush. Oh, Gaia how he wanted to just kiss her._

" _Do you ever wonder what else is out there for us?" Tifa asked, her voice trailing off in deep thought._

" _I don't really know, I would like to think there is something," He leaned his cheek on the top of her head. 'Gently,' he thought to himself. She smelled like flowers at the beginning of spring. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and wished that she was his._

" _I like spending time with you. You're pretty cool, you know that?" She rose back up and looked at him, gazing into his eyes._

_He tried to get up the courage to make a move. 'Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her you idiot!' He smiled a small smile and gazed at her alluring lips. Slowly he began to lean toward her._

" _Hey jerk-off! What do you think you're doing, KA-LOUD?" It was Jason, walking toward them. Cloud jumped up ready for the impending fight, "Don't you have some place else you could be… like not here!" Philip, Adam, Dean and Bobby followed close behind him, "Hey look guys; he thinks he has a chance with her!" The accompanying boys began to laugh as they circled around them._

" _Stop it Jason!" Tifa screamed at him._

" _Cloud, why don't you just leave already, we don't want you here," Jason shoved him, "No one wants you or your mother here! We don't like trash like you here."_

_Cloud sheltered Tifa behind him with clenched fists. Through gritted teeth he spit out, "Leave my mother out of this."_

_Looking at Tifa, Jason said, "Your dad is looking for you, the guys will walk you home," Shifting his gaze, he sneered, "I'll walk Cloud home."_

" _Leave him alone Jason!" She yelled as the other boys pulled her home._

_Once Tifa was out of sight, Jason raised his fists, "Well, let's go KA-LOUD." Jason lunged at him and punched him in the shoulder, knocking him back a little. Cloud clenched his fists again and shot forward. Getting a punch on the side of Jason's head, his knuckles made a cracking sound. Stepping back, he flinched and shook his hand from the pain. Jason motioned to him, "Well, I'm waiting momma's boy."_

_Cloud ran forward wanting to tackle him, but Jason stepped to the side and tripped him as he went past. Cloud hit the ground knocking the breath out of him and Jason was on him in a flash. Standing over him, punch after punch pounded down on him until the bully was finally satisfied; Jason stepped back, spitting on him, "Don't ever touch her again. You hear me?" The bully left Cloud lying on his side, beaten but not as bad as other times. This time it was just Jason. Usually it was three or four of them at a time. Spitting up some bloody saliva, he stood up, dusted himself off and headed home._

_Opening the door slowly, he looked to see where his mom was. While she was in the kitchen cooking, he snuck past her to get to the bathroom to clean up._

" _Sweetheart, is that you?"_

" _Yeah mom, in the bathroom, I'll be right out."_

_At dinner she noticed the new bruises on his face. She took his face in her hands and started crying, "I am so sorry that you have to go through this."_

" _Mom, it's not your fault. It's me that they don't like," They finished dinner in silence._

_Going on to bed, he curled up with his pillow and a book. As he was just drifting off, he heard a light tapping at his window. From his bed he reached over and looked out the window, it was Tifa, "I need to talk to you Cloud. Please."_

_Letting the curtain fall back in its place, he sighed and the debate in his head started. The voice from the other side of the window pleaded, "Please Cloud," The sound of his name coming from her sounded like sweet sugar to him. Sitting up, he decided to meet her, curious about what she wanted. Staying right at the door, he looked to see if there was anyone around besides Tifa, "Thanks for coming, let's go," She grabbed his hand and pulled him with her. They climbed up to the top of the well. Staring at his eyes, she said, "I am so sorry about earlier. I don't know why they hate you so much."_

" _I don't either, but that's okay. I made up my mind on what I want to do."_

" _What is that?"_

_Climbing a little higher and looking up at the stars, "I'm gonna be a Soldier, just like the Great General Sephiroth!"_

_She giggled a little, "You promise to come save me if I get in a pinch?"_

_He looked back down at her, almost getting lost in her eyes. A smile crossed his face, "I'll be your hero. I promise." Cloud didn't kiss her like he wanted; he hoped that she didn't think he was just being silly._

_After dinner the next night, his mother pulled him aside, "Cloud, could you please come sit with me?" Sitting across from his mother, he waited, "I have something to tell you and it is very difficult for me, so please bear with me." Cloud nodded his head. Seeing her demeanor as fidgety and nervous he became anxious, "There is a reason that you don't know who your father is." She exhaled loudly._

_Cloud leaned forward and watched his mother intently, "Almost 15 years ago, I was with some friends in my home town and we all went to the beach one summer to go swimming," Pausing to wipe some tears from her face, she inhaled and continued, "I got tired so I went back to the beach house and there were two men there and I didn't know who they were." Reaching for some tissue again, she sobbed, "It happened so fast. One of the men grabbed me and held he while the other… well… he…"_

_She didn't have to continue, he knew where she was going with this. Sitting there, stunned, he didn't know what to think or say. The rage built up within him and he exploded. Jumping up he screamed, "So not only am I a bastard, but I am here because of," He inhaled and paused, he didn't know if he could say it, but it came out very quietly, "…rape," Standing silently for several minutes. The thought of who and what his father was, disgusted him and very quietly he asked, "Do I look like_ _**him** _ _?"_

_She raised her head. The stress lines told him the story over again. The painful memories showed in her eyes and she had no more tears to shed, "No you don't. You look like Cloud."_

_Looking her in the eyes, he teared up, but then he just couldn't look at her anymore, all he could say to her was quietly whispered, "Mom, I am so sorry…" Turning quickly, he felt ashamed and needed to be alone. Slamming the door, he sat on the side of his bed. Taking his pillow, he held it tightly to his stomach and cried. Two days later, he left to join Soldier. He was going to prove to everyone, including himself, that he could do anything, despite his parentage._

* * *

They had both spent several days in small, dark cells. Zack winced at the light in Lab 3 as he was brought in by Harper. He was placed into the only chair, and strapped in. Letting his eyes adjust to the light, he looked around and saw Hojo by the desk, "Where's Cloud?"

"Hello, it is nice to see you Z," Hojo said, ignoring his question.

With an indignant snort, Zack retorted, "Fuck off Hojo."

Ignoring Zack's outburst Hojo continued, "Now Z, today is the day that my newest project is starting in its new direction." Clasping his hands behind his back, Hojo's eyes actually appeared to twinkle, "Exciting isn't it!"

"Your mother should have eaten you at birth," Zack flatly stated, staring Hojo down with unblinking eyes.

The doors opened and Charles entered with Cloud. The blond huddled with his head down trying to keep the light out. "Spiky!" Zack perked up.

Cloud looked up, wincing and saying weakly, "Zack." He sounded exhausted and looked just as bad. His eyes were sunken in, and he could barely keep his head upright.

"Specimen C! I was just telling Z that we are starting a new direction of the project."

With a tired tone, Cloud's exasperation leaked out with the words, "Fuck off Hojo…" Zack busted out with a laugh.

Hojo pointed to the table, and Charles walked toward it. Cloud pulled back and somehow wrenched his way loose, running for the door, but in his weakened condition, Charles caught him rather quickly. Fighting the whole way, he got him to the table and Burton and Harding restrained him. "Now all we are missing is my new specimen." Cloud and Zack looked at each other, puzzled.

Cloud inquired, "What new specimen?"

"I am glad to see that you're interested now, but you must wait just like everyone else," He turned his attention back to the objects and papers in front of him on the little side table.

Davis and Drake came through the doors dragging someone. The "new specimen" was semi-conscious, head hung down with his chin resting on his chest and his feet scraping the floor as he was taken to the empty table. At the sound of the door opening, Zack and Cloud both looked at Davis and Drake. Unable to speak at first, they watched as they restrained Hojo's newest toy to the table.

Finally able to find his voice, Zack yelled, "What the Fuck!"

With his face covered in turmoil, Cloud asked, "How…How is that possible?"

"I thought you killed him!" Zack's eyes were questioning and wide with surprise. He looked at Cloud then back at the man on the table and back at Cloud again.

"I did! I saw him fall into the reactor!" Cloud pulled at his restraints.

"I don't think so C. He was incased in a mako crystal infused with the _life stream_ ," Hojo boasted. "Isn't it wonderful?" Zack and Cloud were speechless. "I'm glad you both are paying attention now. We will be getting started shortly."

Sephiroth began moving his head around and he sleepily opened his eyes. Upon seeing that he was in another lab he angrily questioned, "What is going on Hojo? I demand you release me."

"Specimen C, Specimen Z, say hello to Specimen S," Hojo waved his hand as he indicated all three of them in turn.

Sephiroth turned his head around as much as he could and saw Cloud on a table just like his. In the other direction he saw Zack sitting in a chair fully restrained, "What…what is going on?!" Alarm and distress covered his face, his voice filled with stress.

"Don't act like you don't know you sorry son of a bitch!" Zack spit out, jumping as much as his restraints would allow.

Sephiroth's eyes were wild with confusion. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, "What are you talking about? All I know is we were on our way to a mission to Nibelheim." He turned his eyes to Zack, "Please, tell me what is going on! How were we captured?"

Rage built up in Cloud's chest. His voice broke up in anger and sadness, "You don't remember anything? You don't remember killing my mother!" He pulled at his restraints even more. His neck began to ache at the angle he turned to see Sephiroth. "You don't remember murdering everyone and burning the town to the ground? How can you just forget about something like that?" Cloud was furious and he shook with anger and choked back a sob.

"I didn't kill your mother! Burn a town to the ground?" More confused than before, he just shook his head, "I swear, I don't know what you're talking about!" Sephiroth pulled harder at his restraints.

"Cloud, don't listen to him!" Zack tried.

"Let's get started. Harding, go ahead and get Z's injections done. We have much to do. Burton, bring the tray," Hojo ordered.

Cloud looked at Hojo and the electronic device he held in his hand. He passed it over Cloud's abdomen and it beeped. From behind him he heard Zack's loud grunts as he received his mako injections. "Zackary, what is going on?" Sephiroth pleaded.

"Z cannot talk now S," Hojo continued to the lab techs, "The readouts are not as I expected. The panel isn't working properly. That's okay, I have an improved version." Turning to Burton he said, "Ready more of the Jenova cell injections. Get me some numbing solution as well."

Burton gave Hojo two large syringes of the purple stuff. Burton reached for some more syringes and filled them.

As soon as the injections were in, Cloud began to shiver. Oddly, Sephiroth started to shiver as well. A few screams filled the room as Cloud's pain reached its peak. Sephiroth then looked stressed as if he were in pain. 'That's a little odd' Zack thought. After all of Cloud's injections, Hojo picked up the other syringe and injected his abdomen right where his scar was. He then picked up a scalpel. Cloud instantly went into a panic, pulling at his restraints, "Please don't, please…" Cloud's pleas were ignored.

"Spiky, look at me!" Zack yelled.

"What is happening? Someone, tell me something!" Sephiroth seemed to be panicked as well.

"Now C, this may hurt a little," Hojo's cold, gloved hand touched his abdomen and he began to cut open where he had put the metal panel. Cloud's eyes stayed fixed on Zack as the room was filled with small pained grunts. Once the incision was fully open, Hojo reached in to retrieve the panel. As his hand was inside Cloud's abdomen and his grunt was louder and longer. Hojo looked over at Sephiroth. The man looked as though he was stifling a scream of his own. Zack watched this whole scene completely shocked and forgetting the pain he was in at the moment. Cloud was still looking in Zack's direction, but his eyes were thankfully closed.

Hojo began the process of removing the panel. Zack watched the Professor watch the silver-haired former General writhe in pain. A thin smile moved across Hojo's lips. Cloud's screams stopped when his hand was removed from his body cavity. Sephiroth stopped his grunts and was replaced with deep pained pants. The Professor picked up the new panel and inserted it into the incision. During the implantation of the new panel, Hojo would periodically look over at Sephiroth. At the movement to his left Zack saw Sephiroth's eyes were closed as well, his face twisted in pain.

Zack's jaw dropped, "Hojo, what have you done? What is going on?" Zack's questions were ignored again.

The noise ceased from both of them when Hojo removed his hands. Pulling his gloves off, he wrote in his notes as he dictated to his assistant, "Mr. Harding, get the blood samples from all three specimens and stitch the blond one up, the new panel should work properly now. These extra results were far better than I anticipated. Phase two of the new project can now begin. I will still need all three specimens well taken care of. Oh, and don't forget to give C his mako injections. Double the dose for him." Hojo walked over to Sephiroth and lovingly brushed his hair from his forehead, "With your help, this project will work for sure."

"Don't touch me! I'm not going to help you with anything, you monster," He said as he breathed hard, a single tear rolled down the side of his face leaving a trail on his pale skin.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: There are a lot of scene breaks in this chapter, I hope this isn't too distracting. I wanted to comment on Seph being OOC. Yes he is, but there is a reason. He has woken up, not remembering what happened, Hojo has him drugged and confined, Zack and Cloud are yelling at him, obviously angry with him, and he is feeling Cloud's feelings too so he is very disoriented. Until he is able to process the information and the new feelings that aren't his, he will be a little OOC. Every so often, throughout the story, he will have moments of OOCness because of that as well.

"It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not." -Andre Gide

**Nexus**

Chapter 11

Bonnie Hamilton enjoyed being a laboratory assistant. However, the last couple of years were what gave her nightmares nightly. She was a very meek sort of person; she did her job and said very little. Hojo scared her though and she wondered what terrible things he would want her to do next. If she could have, she would have left after the first time she had to hurt one of those men that Hojo kept captive. Unfortunately she had nothing to go back to and Shinra held her contract with an iron fist.

Walking into his office she held her head low. A shiver of fear crept through her.

* * *

Hojo sat at his desk looking over his many notes and books scattered over the surface of his desk. Picking up the phone and dialing her extension he said, "Miss Hamilton, come to my laboratory office immediately." As he hung up the phone he placed his finger against his lips, he looked at the notes that were vital to the project's success. The newest project was his idea and he wasn't going to let anything stop him. One sheet of paper held his attention more than the rest. Getting the cooperation he needed was imperative.

She knocked on the door and he called her in. Holding his hand out, he gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk, "Please sit." He shuffled a few papers and straightened them as he spoke, "Miss Hamilton, I am going to give you the opportunity of a lifetime," he said with a fake smile. He leaned forward on his elbows, "I would like for you to take part in the new project that I am conducting. Now you might be hesitant about this, but you will thank me later."

She wrung her hands in her lap nervously, "Well, sir, I don't know… I mean, what would I have to do?" Her voice was almost too low to hear.

"There will be only one thing that I really need from you," He put his hand in one of his pockets and got up and walked around the desk. He walked around behind her, "Your full, total, and complete cooperation." He lunged and wrapped his arm around her from behind as he drove a syringe into her neck and pushed the plunger and backed away quickly.

Standing and knocking the chair backwards, she grabbed her neck, eyes widened and she cried out in surprise. She stumbled back across the floor toward the door. Her eyes started to dull and her legs began shaking. Staggering around, she reached out to a book shelf as she started to fall, she pulled some loose papers and a book to the floor with her.

Hojo was there just in time and he just caught her head before she hit the file cabinet, "Easy there, we don't want you damaged; I need you in perfect physical health." Watching her eyes finally close, he squatted down to her and straightened her arms and legs out. Getting back up, he pulled out the paper that had held his interest earlier, "Hmm, 5 ft. 4 inches, 102 pounds; she is a little small but young and very healthy. I can make her smaller size work I suppose," he said to himself as he tapped his finger on his lips. He scribbled a few things on to the page and put it back down on the desk.

* * *

Zack was half sitting on his bed when the door finally opened and they brought Cloud in. He was completely limp, head hung down, sobbing and moaning. His sweaty hair, stuck to the sides of his face and the back of his neck. Zack stood up and waited for when they put him down. He was in a strangely uncomfortable position. They started to move him around the bed and Zack pushed them back, "Get the hell away from him! Just leave us alone!" With anger in his eyes, he clenched his fists and stood his ground until Harper and Drake left. Zack noticed the sorrow in Drake's eyes and it just made him angrier.

Zack turned his attention back to Cloud. Bending over, the older boy surveyed the younger one first. Cloud's eyes remained closed and he continued to softly moan in pain with every breath he took. Zack bent down to his face and whispered, "Spiky." Cloud slowly opened his eyes and looked at his brunette friend. The look in the blonde's eyes pleaded with him to do something, anything would be better than this. It broke Zack's heart that he couldn't do anything to ease the pain.

He knew it hurt worse than anything else when they got double injections and he sadly thanked Gaia that he hadn't had to have double injections. Any and all movement caused an over-abundance of pain to wash over every cell. Zack worked to maintain a calm tone, "I am going to put your legs up on the bed. I'll be as gentle as I can, but I'm going to do it fast. Okay buddy?" Cloud blinked his eyes slowly and a tear fell over his nose, on to the bed. "Okay, here goes," In one quick move, Zack picked his legs up and swung them over on to the bed. A weak cry sounded from Cloud and he closed his eyes and a faint moan passed his lips.

Zack sat on the floor next to him leaning against the side of the bed. Pulling his knees up, he rested his elbows on them as he ran his fingers through his hair his thoughts became guilt ridden. 'Some friend I am, I can't do anything for him and he's suffering, because of me.' The sound of Cloud's soft sobs seemed to reverberate through Zack's body and he fought his own tears. He spoke softly to keep Cloud's pain to a minimum, "I swear Spiky, I'm going to make this right, I promise." The last two words nearly choked him up. Eventually Cloud quieted and closed his eyes, Zack hoped he was asleep. He stayed on the floor next to the bed.

Much later, the door opened and Zack didn't recognize the man. The man stood there staring and not really knowing what to say. Zack stood up and asked, "Who are you?" He was so tired. Tired of fighting and he just couldn't deal with it right then. The guilt of Cloud being in pain made him just want to stop. He just felt like giving up, "What do you want?"

"Uh, hello, I'm the new doctor here to help Doctor Chase. I came to check specimen C," The man was clearly confused, "Maybe I have the wrong room."

Zack stepped to the side and motioned with his hand, "You want specimen C? There he is." Zack's tone was sorrowful and weary.

The doctor took a step back and almost bumped into Davis. He shook his head, "I was under the impression that I would be working with specimens in an irreversible comatose state."

In a tone that was as non-emotional as he had ever sounded, he said, "Nope, you got us. Welcome to our hell." Zack sat back down on the floor and leaned against Cloud's bed.

The man crouched down, "My name is Noah Medlock. What is your name?"

Zack didn't look up, "Specimen Z."

"No, your real name… Please," Noah made a point to make eye contact with Zack. He sat unbelieving, "Please."

Zack blinked and stared at the man, "… Zack. This is my best friend, Cloud."

He pushed out his hand as if to shake hands with him, "I am glad to meet you-"

Davis interrupted, "Doctor, I need to get you back to the infirmary." Noah looked at Davis and then back at Zack. He put his hand gently on his shoulder and stood. He left without another word. Zack put his hands on the back of his head and put his forehead on his knees. He couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

* * *

_Waking up, he lifted his head slowly; he was lying on the floor next to the cold metal table in the lab. As he stood, the woman appeared. Those eyes, blazing green, full of love, pain, hate and anger. She mesmerized him and willed him to her. Her long silver hair flowed around her body as if carried by a light wind, "Cloud, come to me." He started walking hesitantly toward her. Something caught his eye and broke him out of his trance. Zack was in his tank and it was full of water, pounding on the glass, trying to break it, trying to get out; his eyes wild with panic. His friend looked like he was trying to yell something, bubbles floated from between his lips, up to the top of the tank. Cloud studied Zack for a moment…_

_Suddenly she was standing in front of him blocking his view of Zack, "Cloud, you can leave all that behind, he could never love you as much as I do." He was close enough that she gently took his hand into hers. He eventually stopped trying to see Zack and returned his eyes to her. Raising his hand to touch her face, he stopped himself just before his fingers brushed her skin. He lowered his hand back down to his side._

_Quietly he asked, "What is it that you want from me?" She dropped his hand gently._

_Her eyes fixed on to him, "It is very simple. Tell me that you want me Cloud."_

_Shaking his head, "I don't know what it would mean if I did." He turned away from her._

_She moved in front of him again and took his hands into hers, "It means no more pain, no more suffering, and no more being unwanted and unloved." She narrowed her eyes and squeezed his hands very gently._

_He repeated almost robotically, "No more pain or suffering and someone will want me?" He reached up and touched her face gently, his fingers slowly tracing down her neck, studying her the whole time. His eyes flinched and he turned away from her again, "No. I don't need you to love me."_

_A bright flash of light appeared suddenly, and he looked up. He was in Zack's apartment. He heard a noise coming from the bedroom. Walking cautiously, he leaned close to the door. "Cloud…" A familiar voice said. He held his hand on the door knob for a moment, not sure he wanted to open it._

_Finally, he opened the door slowly and Tifa was standing in the middle of the room, unclothed. Her dark brown eyes bore into his soul. His heart ached for her. Long, deep brown hair cascaded over her shoulders. The smell of her filled his senses so he closed his eyes and reveled in her scent. She smelled like springtime, he always loved the way her essence captivated him, "You still want me don't you? Tell me you want me. Please Cloud."_

_He opened his eyes again and she stood in place, her pleading eyes called to him. Stepping forward, he gently pulled her to him and he kissed her with the passion he had always had for her. She kissed him back and pulled his shirt off quickly. A feeling of urgency came over him took a step forward and pushed toward her, laying her down on the bed right behind her. He finished disrobing and went to her neck and her lips and needed her right at that moment, breathlessly he said, "I want you."_

_Cloud blinked his eyes and it was not Tifa anymore, it was the woman in the red dress. Her hair and dress wrapped around him and held him to her. While struggling to free himself, a soft voice from behind him spoke in his ear, "You belong to me now." Her hair wrapped tighter around him, "Now and forever." He arched his back and screamed at the pain coming from his back. Her hair morphed into tentacles and enveloped him; his whole body began to burn._

_"Please stop!" He pleaded as he watched the tentacles rip into his skin, swimming and bathing in his blood. He threw his head back, and let out a long tortured scream._

* * *

Still leaning against the side of Cloud's bed, an ear-piercing scream woke Zack from a restless sleep. Jumping up, he whipped around to see what was happening. To his horror, Cloud was on his back, arms flat on the bed, his entire body was in a complete arch, his face twisted in pain. Zack snapped out of his shock when the scream suddenly stopped and the blonde's eyes snapped open.

' _Oh geez,'_ Zack thought. Cloud's eyes... they weren't blue anymore but deep green and the pupils weren't round anymore. The blonde's scream was soon replaced with a deep gurgling sound, he tried ripping at his throat with his dulled fingernails. "Spike! Snap out of it! Wake up!" Zack pleaded. That's when the violent convulsions started. He fell from of the bed and took Zack with him to the floor. Still convulsing, Zack sat on the floor and watched over him. Once the convulsions stopped he wrapped his arms around his friend who was too still and too quiet now, "I'm so sorry, please stop this…Please…"

* * *

Sephiroth sat quietly on the edge of his bed while he tried to get a grasp of what was going on. Standing up he started pacing back and forth, thoughts coiling in his mind. Killing innocent people? Burning down a town? If that did happen and he was responsible, why could he not remember it?

The former General wondered to himself out loud, "Hojo never touched me, yet I felt pain as he hurt that boy."

He was starting to get a headache as he tried harder to remember, "Trying to figure this out is extremely, tiresome… what… is happening? My head… Ahh-" A buzzing sound started in his head and as it increased in volume, he fell to his knees. The noise turned into a loud screech that reverberated in his skull like a rampant virus, he couldn't get away from it. His powerful hands clutched the sides of his head and a scream of fearful pain erupted from deep within his throat.

When his scream slowly subsided, Sephiroth found himself lying on the floor with his fingers hooked in his long silver hair, his eyes snapped open when he whispered, "Jenova…"

* * *

Hojo's laboratory office was a large room that he doubled as his private and secret lab that he decided to call lab 4. One side had his desk and books and file cabinets, the regular look of any other office. He had picked out the area rug and the swirls of green color reminded him of mako, the source and passion of his work.

On the other side, a cold steel table like the ones in the other labs sat awaiting its next victim. The fluorescent lights seemed a little brighter in here. Very often when he would come in here, he would have to take something for a rising headache.

Having gotten Bonnie on to the table and starting an IV, he was going to have to put her in a drug induced coma because he figured from her first reaction that she would be as reluctant to participate as his other three specimens seemed. There were other materials he would need to gather and for that he was going to need specimens Z, C, and S.

He cut her clothes from her and then covered her with a sheet and set out to take care of some other things first. He needed one of the assistants to help him and he needed to choose wisely.

* * *

The next day, Zack woke up on the floor and was still holding the limp blond. Cloud's eyes were slightly open and Zack saw that they were their normal deep blue again. Cloud's skin was freezing to the touch and he shivered slightly.

Releasing his hold on the smaller boy, Zack stood up, stretched his back and pulled Cloud back on his bed. Grabbing the blankets from the floor, he covered Cloud up and climbed under the blankets, curling up to Cloud's back and wrapped an arm around him hoping to warm him back up.

"You know buddy, you kind of scared me last night. I know you like to joke around from time to time," Zack stopped talking and looked over Cloud's shoulder at the side of his face, "I didn't think that was funny though. If fact, I'm going to ask you not to do that anymore."

Zack let out a sigh and laid his head back down, "I mean hell; you even elbowed me in the chin and my stomach a couple of times. You got sharp elbows." Zack squeezed Cloud with his arm in a type of hug, "That's alright though; I'll get you back, as soon as we get out of here." Relaxing into his spot, he nuzzled his face to the back of Cloud's neck, "You are freezing man, I mean really. I'll get ya warmed back up in no time. You don't worry about a thing, okay."

For three days, Cloud stayed like that. He would open his eyes, but wouldn't focus on anything. He was always so cold and his body didn't seem to ever warm up.

Zack was taken to the gym, and they had him on the leg machine doing his reps, forced to increase the reps to 150 instead of his usual 50.

When the door opened, Davis walked in with Sephiroth. Stopping hos reps, Zack just stared, waiting for his mind to catch up to what he saw. Finally able to process the scene, he instantly traversed the gym and was in Sephiroth's face, the former General didn't flinch. The brunette grabbed the front of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. Davis tried to get a hold of Zack but he pushed Davis back; averting his eyes, Sephiroth kept his hands at his sides.

"Fight back you bastard!" Zack screamed at him. Slamming him against the wall two more times, still Sephiroth did nothing. Zack threw a punch and hit him in the jaw with his left and then threw another with his right. The former General grabbed the younger man's fist and spit out a mouth full of blood, letting it splat to the floor.

Zack pulled his fist back from the older man's tightening fingers and took him by the front of his shirt and slammed him back up against the wall. Sephiroth simply pushed him away. Out of breath, Zack asked, "Why won't you fight me?!"

Sephiroth looked down at the floor and said solemnly, "Because I remember what happened."

* * *

After the incident in the gym, and being brought back to his cell, Zack noticed that Cloud still lay in the same position that he was left in; only now, his eyes were open, "Hey Buddy, I'm gonna take a shower real quick, you stay right there." While trying to sound upbeat he was unable to hide frustration in his voice.

After he got out he sat him upright and nestled him in the crook of his arm near his chest. Cloud was still freezing. "Hey buddy, ya gotta snap out of this soon. I get all lonely in the gym without ya," He brushed some of the blond spikes from his face. "Well I wasn't alone today, but we can talk about that later." Zack leaned against the wall and drifted to sleep.

Sometime later, he felt something touch his face. He opened his eyes, and Cloud was sitting up and looking at him, "Hey Spiky! Your awake, man I was re-" the former Soldier stopped when he realized that Cloud didn't seem to recognize him. The blond touched Zack's face softly again, then his own. His eyes were his normal deep blue but Cloud acted a bit different.

Zack studied his face and he seemed like someone else, in the shell of his friend. Cloud stood up and the blankets dropped to the floor. He stood in one spot for a moment and then turned back to the brunette. Reaching down, he grabbed one of Zack's hand and pulled him up to standing. He put his hands on both sides of Zack's arms and looked at his face deeply, studying it, "What are you doing? What is the matter?"

Without removing his hands he smiled a small creepy smile, "Shhh."

"Okay…your kind of freakin me out buddy."

Cloud dropped his hands and raised himself up, very close to Zack's face, "I SAID SHHHH!" Zack jumped at the volume of his voice. Cloud took a step back and studied him a little longer, then tilted his head a little to the side. Deepening his stare he asked, "You're Zack aren't you?" Zack nodded slowly, "So you're the one…"

"Umm, I guess so. What are you talk-" Cloud put his hand over Zack's mouth and peered into his eyes.

Backing Zack to the wall, he moved closer to Zack's face with his hand still on Zack's mouth, "You're the one he doesn't want me to hurt." Cloud said calmly, eyes darting back and forth between Zack's, trying to decipher what the brunette's secrets were, but soon he gave up and backed away. Turning around, the blond scrutinized the cell, he walked over to the door, reached out and felt of it like he hadn't seen one before, then he studied the door knob and the window.

Zack asked very cautiously, "You know me, can I ask who you are?"

Cloud turned around slowly and to Zack's surprise, his eyes were bright fiery green. A smile slowly crept across his hips, "I'll show you..."

Closing the distance between them, Cloud moved his face toward Zack's. He could feel the small breaths coming from his fair-haired friend on his cheek. He had stopped, frozen in place. Suddenly Cloud squeezed his eyes shut and he backed away as if in pain. He was holding the sides of his head and grunting. "No! I won't… let you hurt him!" Falling to the floor, a scream escaped and his body tensed and then relaxed, motionless.

Zack watched not knowing what to do. He sat down next to him, "Oh Spike, what has Hojo done to you?"

Several minutes later, Cloud turned his head and looked at him, "Z-Zack?"

Zack jumped to action, "Yeah, it's me!"

"Is it really you?" Cloud asked quietly.

Zack let a hesitant smile cross his lips, "Yeah buddy….it's me." Cloud sat up, rubbed his head, got off the floor and sat down on the bed, "You wanna tell me what on Gaia just happened?" Cloud looked at him and then looked away quickly. Zack's voice rose, "You scare the hell out of me a couple of nights ago, you do absolutely nothing for three days and then this. Why won't you tell me what is going on Cloud?" He didn't know what else to do or what to say. He reached out to him and said softly, "I'm worried about you."

Cloud just stared at the floor, "I can't…"

Zack sat down next to Cloud, "Whatever man, I'm just glad to have you back. You know that right?" Cloud leaned his head over on to Zack's shoulder. Hesitantly, Zack reached across his chest to Cloud's head and gave the back of his neck a reassuring squeeze.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Warning: This chapter has a physical assault with innuendo.

"Wisdom begins in wonder." -Socrates

**Nexus**

Chapter 12

Zack hadn't seen Sephiroth since that day in the gym, and thankfully he hadn't seen the "anti-Cloud" again.

He couldn't figure out how to tell Cloud about Sephiroth. He and Sephiroth had talked briefly, and what he knew of him from before his rampage, he believed him.

Something terrible had happened to Cloud. He didn't or couldn't talk about it, except to express how terrified he was. One bright spot however was that they really didn't see much of Hojo. Of course, like everything else, something had to change.

Davis and Drake came to get them for their morning weight lifting and conditioning. "Time to get up little lovebirds, ya'll are going to get some exercise today," Davis announced. The guards had gotten to the point that when they took them anywhere, their hands were restrained behind them and shackles were put on their ankles. As per routine, Zack and Cloud got on their knees, hands on top of their heads, and waited for the restraints. Zack had learned the hard way one day by picking a fight with Charles when they were going to the lab. As punishment, they got double injections of mako, and Zack went into solitary confinement.

After they were restrained, they got them up on their feet and started the shuffle down to the gym. Cloud was in front with Davis when he tripped on the chain. Drake walked Zack past them and kept going. Zack glanced back and as Davis picked Cloud up, he said something to him and smiled. Cloud got a grimace on his face and shook his head then lowered his face. Once in the gym, Zack asked Cloud what Davis had said. Cloud just looked at him and said, "Nothing." Zack felt his eye twitch in frustration at the same answer Cloud always gave.

They noticed there was a new piece of equipment in there. The techs had put Cloud on the leg machine and Zack at the bench. Charles walked in with Sephiroth and Cloud's eyes immediately went to his former hero. The gym was pretty small so when they put Sephiroth on the new row machine, they were able to talk.

Sephiroth quietly made his way over to the equipment. Sephiroth looked over Zack and Cloud and Cloud glared back at him. Zack looked at Cloud and he saw his muscles tense. Anger flashed in his eyes. Cloud stayed silent except for a quiet sigh of disgust. Zack asked Sephiroth, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you around." Cloud shot a confused, angry gaze at Zack.

"Hojo had me in solitary confinement. I don't know why though, because I'm already alone in my cell." He shrugged and then got into a rhythm on the row machine.

"Well that's about typical." Zack rolled his eyes.

Sephiroth looked at Cloud, "Cloud, I wanted to tell y-"

"I have nothing to say to you," Cloud interrupted. His eyes held all the rage and pain he felt. Dark blue flashed in anger at the thought of that man being so bold as to talk to him. The curtness in his voice stopped Sephiroth's reps. Cloud returned his attention back to his legs and increased his pace on the lifts.

The former General looked at Zack, "You haven't talked to him yet?" A lab tech pointed to the row machine and Sephiroth started his reps again.

Cloud stopped his reps and looked at Zack. "Talked to me about what? Zack what is going on?" The lab tech tapped Cloud on his shoulder and he swatted at Wolfe's hand. The lab tech cleared his throat and Cloud turned to see Wolfe pointing to the leg machine, urging Cloud to start his reps again.

Zack adjusted his grip on the bar, "Listen Spike, when you went all vegetable on us, me and Seph here had a little…uh…talk."

Cloud began to visibly seethe in anger, "What do you mean? You're talking to him after what he did?! You didn't tell me?"

Zack blew out as he lifted the weights, "Come on Cloud, I wanted to talk to you about it, but you had a lot of things going on. I didn't even know how to start."

Cloud's face dropped and he lowered his eyes to his legs again. His jaw clenched and he did the rest of his leg reps in silence. Sephiroth and Zack looked at each other but said nothing. When they had to switch, Cloud was on the weight bench, Sephiroth went to the leg machine and he tried again, "I don't know why it happened."

Cloud whipped his face around and glared at him. Clenching his jaw again, he struggled with the weights.

"I do not know how to explain it," Sephiroth breathed out.

Breaking his rhythm on the row machine, Zack cut in, "Let me try Seph," Resting his arms on his legs, he looked at Cloud, "Apparently your noodle and his noodle are linked. When you feel pain or whatever, he feels it too."

Cloud had a puzzled look and almost dropped the bar, "Huh? What? That's not possible."

"Apparently it is," Sephiroth added as he breathed out.

"So all the times that Hojo has hurt me, he felt it too?" Cloud inquired to Zack.

"Yeah and well there is something else," Zack paused, "He didn't remember anything that happened the night of the fire. It's like he was possessed or something, kinda like you, when you freaked in our cell." Cloud glared at Zack for mentioning that. "Well anyway, when you went all raving lunatic on me, Seph here had his own loony-bin episode and got his memory back."

"Eloquently spoken Zackary," Sephiroth said in a deep sarcastic tone.

"So when that…you know, happened to me in the cell, he got his memory back? But it wasn't really Sephiroth the night of the fire? It was something else that killed everyone?" Cloud lowered his gaze and went silent and stared blankly, deep in thought.

"Exactly! I knew you would….wait hold the phone. Does that mean that…?" Zack stopped and joined Cloud in silence.

"Jenova," Sephiroth breathed hard and lowered his gaze. "I think it could possibly happen again." He looked directly at Cloud who wilted beneath the scrutiny of the unique eyes and turned his full attention back to the weights.

They switched machines again and worked on their exercises in silence. When Sephiroth and Zack were done with their reps, Harper and Charles restrained them, ready to take them from the gym. Cloud was struggling to finish his last few reps on the row machine. Charles told Davis, "We're gonna take them on down to the lab." They started for the door and the lab techs followed.

Stepping into the lab, Zack noticed another chair added and the only tank was taken out. Getting Sephiroth and Zack restrained in the chairs, the silver-haired General suddenly bolted upright and the sudden movement caught Zack's attention, "What's up with you all of a sudden?"

"I don't really know, but something is wrong… very wrong," Sephiroth said with a lot of stress in his eyes as he looked back at Zack.

* * *

Cloud was finishing up his last remaining reps when it struck him that his assigned tech wasn't there. Davis was across the room, staring at him, again. The guard would stare at him every chance he got. It really disturbed Cloud that he wouldn't leave him alone and he never told Zack about the profane things he would whisper in his ear or the light touches that spoke of something more. The guard always found a way to touch him, his hands would brush against his butt as he restrained Cloud's hands. Lightly rubbing his leg while putting on the shackles around his ankles. He didn't know why he had never said anything to Zack, but the whole thing just embarrassed him and he just hoped that it would just stop.

Once he was done, he got up and started for the door and Davis held up his restraints, "Forgetting something?" Cloud turned around hesitantly, clenched his fists and closed his eyes as he sighed out. He didn't want to just stand there and take the harassment this time, so he decided to try run for it and when he dashed toward the door, Davis somehow grabbed his arm and got him to the floor. Getting the blond restrained, hands behind his back and ankles shackled together, Davis pulled Cloud back to his feet and turned him around to face him. Looking up, Davis was standing right in front of him, much too close. Cloud backed up a few staggered steps, but Davis closed the gap, "Where ya going sweet thing?"

Cloud continued to back away as best as he could. He moved to the right, Davis blocked him, he tried the left and was blocked again. In frustrated anger, Cloud yelled, "What do you want?" The young blond knew deep down what Davis wanted, but he just didn't want to admit it to himself. The shackles only left a few inches between his ankles so he couldn't use his legs to kick or run and his hands were behind his back. Cloud was essentially defenseless, but he guessed that was exactly how Davis had planned it.

"Oh, I think you know what I want," Davis backed him all the way to the other side of the room. Raising his hand to Cloud's face, he attempted to caress the soft skin, but Cloud turned his head away from him. Trying to move as far away from him as he could, which wasn't far, Cloud winced when Davis put his hand on the wall behind the younger man and leaned in, "Do you remember what I told you?"

"...Yes…" Cloud responded quietly with his eyes gazing at the ground, unwilling to look into those lust-filled eyes.

"I think it's time to make good on that, don't you? "

Cloud shook his head, "Just leave me alone! Please!" Panic began to settle in and the hard thump of his heart made an ache fill his chest.

Davis put his finger up to Cloud's lips, "I think you should be quiet, I don't want you to get hurt, at least not yet," he smiled.

He leaned in to kiss him and Cloud moved to the side, but Davis grabbed him by the neck and pushed him back up against the wall with a thud. The guard leaned in again and his lips touched Cloud's this time. The feel of the guard's lips sent a shiver of revulsion down his body and Cloud squeezed his eyes shut and tried to trick his mind into thinking this wasn't happening.

As Cloud wiggled in disgust, Davis kissed him down his neck and around his thumb that dug into his throat. With his other hand, he reached his hand down to the front of Cloud's shorts. The blond squirmed, but Davis squeezed harder on his neck and his wind pipe was beginning to close under the pressure of Davis' hand. Fear rose as he started to get light-headed, but Davis turned him around to face the wall and slammed him into it. Jamming his forearm into the back of Cloud's neck, he pushed the side of his face into the wall. Reaching down to his shorts again, he pulled the elastic waistband down to his hips.

Cloud squirmed again and shouted at the top of his lungs, "NO!" Cloud could barely reach the waist band on the back of his shorts and he held on to them tightly. Davis pushed harder on the back of his neck and the side of Cloud's face rubbed roughly against the wall. Undaunted, Cloud continued to hold on to his shorts, but that was when Davis moved his arm under the blonde's arm and hitched it upwards and got a stronger hold on the back of Cloud's neck. Cloud let out a grunt of pain as his arm was forced up behind him.

Feeling desperate, Cloud pushed his hips backward and pushed Davis back, "Get away from me!" Cloud swung himself back around to face him.

Davis took a step forward and backhanded him across his face. Grabbing his shoulder he pulled him back to standing and punched him in the gut. Curling forward, he gasp, but Davis got a handful of his hair and pulled him up, "Now are you going to cooperate?"

Cloud looked at him and in anger he hoarsely ground out, "Never," and then spit in his face. Davis wiped at his face and slapped Cloud across the face again.

"If I have to beat you into unconsciousness I will," Pulling back his fist, he punched him in his mouth splitting his lips open. Another punch got him just below his eye. Falling to the floor on his side, darkness crept in from the sides of his vision. Davis reached down and grabbed the front of his shirt. Getting in Cloud's face again, he said, "I am going to get what I want. One way or another."

"What is going on in here?" Doctor Chase interrupted.

Davis jumped and stood straight, "Oh well, he was just having a little trouble remembering the rules around here. I think we've got it straightened out now." Davis gave the doctor a wave of comprehension.

Chase studied Davis, "We are waiting on him in the Lab. May I suggest you get a move on?" Chase turned to leave, but paused and turned back around, "Davis, keep your hands to yourself." Then he pushed the door open and left.

Pulling him up to his feet, Cloud wobbled a little from dizziness as Davis pulled his shorts back up. In the motion of pulling them up, he grabbed Cloud's groin and the blond gasped in pain. With his free hand, Davis stroked Cloud's hair, leaned over him and licked his neck all the way up to his ear. Cloud groaned in pain and disgust, "One way or another, sweet thing." Davis finally let go of him and headed to the lab.

* * *

Davis had a tight hold on his upper arm and Cloud stumbled down the hall. Entering the lab, Zack and Sephiroth immediately turned their attention to Cloud. His lips busted open, a black eye already starting and some bruising starting up on his neck, his head hug down slightly as he swayed under his own weight. Zack and Sephiroth looked at each other and back at Cloud, "What the hell happened?" Zack yelled at Cloud.

Davis answered with a smirk before Cloud could say anything, "Oh this? He tried to leave without his restraints."

"Put him in the last chair," Hojo demanded.

Zack glared at Davis but Cloud couldn't look at Zack, "I'm okay Zack," He said unconvincingly.

Once restrained in the chair, Hojo began, "Today we will not be administering mako today." All three of them sighed silently. When the vitals and all the injections were done, "I will be taking some more samples of your DNA." He read from a list, "hair, blood, skin and saliva. I do not want to miss anything."

"What's next pee, toe jam, eye juice?" Zack said sarcastically.

"Shut up Zackary, do not give him any ideas," Sephiroth warned.

Hojo's eyes brightened and Zack immediately regretted saying anything at all, "Z you make a valid point, I will need a semen sample as well."

Sephiroth shot a glare at Zack, whose eyes snapped up at Hojo as he yelled, "Hey I said nothing about THAT!"

Cloud kept his eyes focused on his legs and angrily said, "Thanks a lot Zack."

Sephiroth angrily spoke through his teeth, "Zackary, if I was not in this chair right now, I think I wou-"

"Now, here we go," Hojo interrupted.

Zack hung his head, "Sorry guys. You know he was gonna think of it sometime." Zack added arrogantly, "What if we refuse? I mean you need us to cooperate for that particular sample." He sat upright in confidence.

"Shut up Zack!" Cloud interrupted.

Hojo explained, "Actually I don't need your cooperation. I can do it for you by sticking this electric probe up your-"

"Okay, I got it! Just put the probe away, save it for when you're alone," Zack interrupted. The brunette sighed angrily at himself for saying anything at all. Hojo's techs went around gathering the various samples. Once they got around to the semen sample, one of the techs, Burton, walked up to Zack who looked at the tech from under his black, furrowed eyebrows, "Dude, you touch my junk, I will break you in half."

Burton turned around to Hojo, concerned, "Uh sir, would it be alright if we took them to the bathroom for this?"

Hojo was busy with labeling and writing on his clip board. Absently he waved his hand, "Yes, just get the samples and bring them to me as soon as you have them." Burton let out a sigh under his breath.

Charles, Drake and Harper were called into the lab. Burton instructed, "Take them to one of the cells." They began the process of the restraints and waddling down the hall. Once reaching the cell, two of the techs followed them in.

Charles and Harper set Cloud and Sephiroth down on Cloud's bed. Zack was told to go first and Charles removed his restraints. He went in the restroom and Wolfe went in with him. "Oh, no! You have got to be kidding! If I have to do this I can't do this with you in here watching me! I can do this all by myself." He gently pushed Wolfe back out of the room. Wolfe stood patiently right outside the door-less restroom.

* * *

Cloud and Sephiroth sat quietly, still in their restraints, until Sephiroth broke the silence, glancing at the blond and asked somewhat coldly, "Are you okay?"

Cloud let out a loud sigh, "Well, I really don't want to do this, but since Zack opened his big mouth, I guess I have to."

"That is not what I mean," Sephiroth leaned forward some so he could make eye contact.

Cloud clenched his jaw and winced at the pain, "I don't know what you mean?" He averted his gaze away from Sephiroth.

"I felt something…panic and Davis was-"

"Just stop, I'm fine okay. Just drop it!" Cloud clenched his jaw again, ignoring the pain. He didn't want anyone to think that he couldn't take care of himself. Deep down he was terrified of Davis, but he wasn't going to say anything to Zack and especially Sephiroth.

* * *

Zack stood in the bathroom for a few minutes, "Okay, happy thoughts, happy thoughts." He stopped and got angry, "Freakin happy thoughts?! In this hell hole! This is impossible. Wait. No. I can do this! I certainly don't want Hojo with a probe anywhere around my…" He sighed loudly, "Gee, no pressure!" He took a deep breath and tried again, "Happy thoughts, happy place, happy thoughts." Then he closed his eyes, and smiled at the thought of HER, Aerith… Gaia how he missed her...

_He had finished gathering everything he was going to need to make the flower cart. Aerith walked through the door and she was wearing that pink sun dress that he liked so much. She smiled at him and he melted._

" _Is this all the stuff we'll need?" She tilted her head slightly to the side._

" _I think so," Zack studied everything and rubbed his chin._

" _I will be right back."_

" _Hey, where are ya going?" He asked, sounding disappointed._

" _I'll be right back silly!" She pushed gently on his arm._

_As she walked away, Zack got lost in thought, 'I think, yeah, as soon as I get back from this next mission to Nibelheim, I think I want to ask her to marry me.' He sat on the floor, his legs straight out in front of him, leaning back on his hands. He looked up at the hole in the roof, 'I want to wake up next to her every morning.' He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, 'Yeah, I'm gonna do it.' A big smile crossed his face._

" _Hello"_

_Zack startled, "You scared me!" He was so lost in thought that she was able to sneak up on him. He looked up at her and smiled._

_Aerith giggled, "I thought Soldiers had super hearing?"_

" _Well we do, but I was just day dreaming a little," he said, still smiling._

_She mocked in a deep voice, hands on her hips, "At this rate, the cart is never going to be finished!"_

_He rocked back onto his back and quickly arched his back and jumped onto his feet. He knew that Aerith liked it when he did that, she giggled again. Zack quickly snapped to attention, "Yes Ma'am!"_

_She giggled, "That's right! Now let's make this cart," she said, still in a mocking voice._

_He picked up a piece of wood, looked at it, then looked at the pile of wood, then rubbed the back of his head. He put the wood on the opposite side of the wheels and studied the pile a little more. "I have the flowers ready to put in the cart when it's finished." She turned back to him. "Are you okay?"_

" _Oh yeah, I'm just thinking about this a little before I get started," he stalled._

_A little while later, he presented it with a grand gesture. She giggled at the comical movement he made with his arms, "Well, what do you think?"_

_She stopped giggling and put her hand to her chin and looked at it all the way around, "Hmm, I don't know, it isn't quite what I expected."_

_Zack's face dropped, "I was sure you would like it."_

_She lightly shoved him, "Silly, I do like it. We can sell lots of flowers now." Her smile was infectious._

_Zack reached out and grabbed her around her waist and pulled her to him and looked into her eyes, "You had me thinking you were disappointed in me." He faked a frown._

_She reached her hands up and ran her fingers through his hair, "You could never disappoint me." She pulled his face toward her and she kissed him deeply. His head swam in thoughts and imagined what their wedding day would look like. Her long white wedding gown made with lace as delicate as her. A bouquet of her flowers in one hand and holding his hand in the other. Her letting him take care of her forever. The thought of her one day carrying his child and looking up at him with eyes full of love warmed him inside and out. He got lost in her again, but she had that power over him. He liked that she had that power, and he welcomed it every time he was around her. She was the one and only for him and always would be._


	13. Chapter 13

"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be." -Douglas Adams

**Nexus**

Chapter 13

Sitting at the desk in his room on the third floor of the mansion, Harding picked his phone up on the second ring, "Harding here… Oh, Professor… Yes sir, I'll be right there." Harding sighed in frustration after he hung up the phone. The resistance leader was being impatient and wanted some information as soon as possible. However the information that he was able to get was nothing really earth-shattering or anything that they could use, _'What do they want me to do?'_

Straightening up the papers that he was able to get, he shoved them in his desk. The real information was still out of his reach. It was a "need to know basis" and his current job that he held in the labs, he didn't need to know. Hojo had his secret lab and office that had a different key code and a card reader. There was just no way for him to get in there. He stood up and leaned on his desk and hung his head, "I guess I gotta go see the weird freak." He sighed loudly and walked toward Hojo's upstairs office in the next hall over.

Harding stood outside the office door, let out a sigh and looked up to get himself calmer. Sometimes he was just too nervous at the wrong times. He looked up at the ceiling above the door and noticed a long crack in the paint. He thought to himself that it could be used to describe how Hojo was cracked too. He straightened his lab coat and knocked firmly.

"Come in, come in," Hojo called him on in. Harding was immediately creeped out, but was able to keep himself calm.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Harding inched his way into the office. He wanted to put something in the door to keep it from shutting, but figured, however, that Hojo would notice his sudden hunt for something to chalk it open. Finally letting the door go, he heard it click shut and his stomach tightened.

"Yes. I have been looking over your records and work history," Hojo looked at him from over the thin rim of his glasses, "There is something very important I need to speak with you about. Please have a seat," He motioned with his hand to the chair in front of him. Harding broke out in a sweat and swallowed hard as he took the seat. "As you know we have been conducting some top secret programs and experiments." Harding nodded slowly and rubbed his sweaty palms on his pant legs as Hojo continued, "The current project involving Z, C, and S, still needs to be maintained. In fact we will be increasing the timeline slightly." Harding sighed quietly and tried to make himself relax a little, but not too much, no one ever knew what Hojo would do. "I have begun an extra project on the side and I would like to invite you to be a part of that." Hojo paused and picked up a file folder and opened it, "According to your records, you are a certified physician's assistant. You're services would be an additional asset." Harding tensed up again. Hojo continued, "Of course you will have to sign another set of employment contracts, but that is just a formality."

Harding's mind raced, he could get more information with a much higher security clearance. Without thinking to long about it, "Sir, I would love to assist you in your new project." The smile covered Harding's face.

Hojo leaned forward and picked up a packet of papers, "Here is a pen." Harding signed them quickly before Hojo changed his mind, "Very well then, this is the code to Lab 4. Here is your new security clearance card. You will be in Lab 4 at six in the morning. We have much to do."

At 5:50 the next morning, Harding made his way down the hall, past the cells and right next to the infirmary. He keyed in his security code and then swiped his card. The door beeped and a little green light came on next to the key pad. He exhaled slowly and opened the door. He was not prepared at all for what he saw.

Bonnie was strapped to a metal table and she had an IV. The monitors to the side of the table showed all the vitals that were being picked up from the leads attached to her. From under the sheet he could see her short, shallow breaths rising and falling. There was a small incubator and the tank that was originally in Lab 3. Along one wall was a long counter covered in a wide array of equipment.

Harding glanced over his shoulder at Hojo's lush looking secret office on the other side of the room. He obviously spent a lot of time in here. Hojo wasn't there yet, so he took the opportunity to snoop a little. However, looking over at Bonnie, he got lost in his thoughts. The little glances, a small smile, the way she touched his arm when he made a joke. He was going to ask her to dinner, but she stopped coming to work. Now he knew why. "I'm sorry Bonnie," Hearing a beeping at the door, he straightened himself up and adjusted his lab coat.

"Ahh, Mr. Harding. Glad to see you're already here. Doctors Chase and Medlock don't know about this, so most of the medical procedures, I will do. Let's get started."

They got to work and the first order of business was taking the DNA samples from Z, C, and S and preparing them for Hojo. Harding began by storing the samples of hair, saliva, and skin. Then got to work with the blood samples to create the individual DNA profiles of each specimen. Hojo began with the semen samples from C, and splicing it with Z, and S, creating a single, complex DNA sample. He didn't know for sure how that was going to work, but Hojo was a nut case anyway. That process was going to take a while. Hojo hadn't divulged any real information as to what the project entailed.

As they were leaving for the day, Hojo had a soldier put in front of the door, "No one comes into this room until tomorrow morning at 6, understood?"

"Yes sir!" The soldier snapped to attention. Harding got the feeling that Hojo didn't trust him. That thought made him chuckle a bit to himself.

Harding got there about 20 minutes before Hojo and that stupid soldier was still there. All night he stood guard. He would not let Harding pass until Hojo got there. If he knew how to fight, he would have punched him out. Instead, he stood there impatiently waiting, while he tapped his fingers in rhythm on the wall. When Hojo did finally show, they went in and he told him what the next task would be.

"For the last couple of weeks, I have been giving specimen B hormones to increase egg development. We are going to harvest the eggs." He said with a slight lilt in his voice.

He so wanted to punch him, 'specimen B?' He didn't even think of her as human any more. While Hojo got ready for the procedure, he prepped Bonnie. Returning with his instruments, he began harvesting her eggs, and putting them in the dish. He took the dish over to the microscope and began extracting Bonnie's DNA from the eggs.

Harding remained at Bonnie's side and cleaned the iodine from her abdomen, and covered her back up.

"Mr. Harding?" Hojo said without removing his eyes from the microscope, "Bring me the complex DNA from the male subjects."

Harding got the sample out and brought it to him. He injected the spliced DNA and the DNA he extracted from the Jenova cells into the egg. He sat back and stretched, "Prep specimen B for implantation."

' _Are you serious?'_ Harding thought to himself. "Uh, sir… Are you sure?"

"Do you have a problem with my order?" Hojo started to get angry.

"No, I suppose I don't," Harding dropped his head a little and turned around. Going to the table, he broke it down and brought up the stirrups from below the table. Positioning Bonnie into place, "She's ready sir."

"Excellent," Hojo finished his current activity and scrubbed his hands at the sink. Pulling out the sterile pipette, he got the cells ready. Harding didn't like being his assistant, he just wanted to run and maybe take Bonnie with him. However, he was and always had been a coward. He accepted that a long time ago. He just was not a fighter; sure he lost his temper, but who doesn't? Rolling across the floor to Bonnie on his little rolling seat, he held the pipette gingerly in his gloved hands.

Handing Hojo the materials as needed, the procedure was done in just a few short minutes, "Go ahead and return specimen B to her previous state. We should know soon if the implantation was successful."

* * *

After all the samples had been gathered, the techs got them to Hojo as requested. Sephiroth was escorted back to his cell and Zack and Cloud were left in theirs. They each sat on their own beds and looked at each other from across the room.

"So, you want to tell me what happened?" Zack crossed his arms with deep irritation. Cloud internally flinched at the angry eyebrows that covered Zack's even angrier eyes.

"What?" Cloud dropped his eyes.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Cloud's courage shriveled from Zack's gaze peering at him from his resting spot across from him.

"Nothing…" Cloud got up and went into the bathroom. Cloud couldn't continue to have the ferocious scrutiny of the burning eyes pierce him any longer. Turning on the water to the shower and as soon as the water got hot enough, he stepped in. The hotter the better, he felt violated. When he closed his eyes, he could still feel the foreign hands groping at him. He scrubbed his face and body to get the dried blood and reminders of Davis' saliva from him. His skin was a rosy red from the hot water and the intense cleansing that he put himself through. As soon as the water went off, Cloud heard Zack pick up where he had left off. Zack's tone was starting to scratch at Cloud's already raw nerves. The blond trudged through the doorway.

"That's bullshit and you know it," Zack still sat in the same spot with his arms crossed. Cloud wondered if Zack had stared at the doorway to the bathroom waiting for him to finish with his shower the entire time.

Cloud stopped walking and turned on Zack with fear and anger in his eyes, "Just drop it, okay." Cloud plopped himself on his stomach on to his bed. "Everything is fine." Everything wasn't fine though. Cloud's sigh, littered with worry, and being unsure of what was going to happen to him or Zack, didn't help.

"Spike, why won't you talk to me? What are you having nightmares about? You freak out screaming in your sleep and you tell me it's nothing," Zack's eyes began to glow with a turbulent aqua as his frustration and his volume rose.

Cloud dropped his gaze again, "I'm tired." He covered himself and turned to face the wall.

"Goodnight Cloud."

Cloud's ears picked up the strain in Zack's voice. The tone of voice concerned him. Even if he did tell Zack, he wouldn't be able to do anything. If Zack did do something, he would just end up getting himself hurt at the hands of Hojo. Cloud closed his eyes. He wanted to tell him, Gaia knows he did. He just didn't know how to tell him or even what to tell him. He didn't know what his dreams meant, he didn't even know if they were real dreams or not. The whole thing with Davis harassing him just added to Cloud's stress level. Zack had noticed a few things periodically, but he didn't know the horrible things Davis said to him. Cloud squeezed his eyes shut and fought the urge to scream out in infuriating outrage.

The next morning, Charles and Davis came in the shared cell, "Alright, love birds, ya'll are getting physicals today." They began to shackle them. Zack made eye contact with Davis.

Zack moved a grin across his face, but his eyes shot an arsenal of munitions in his direction. The tone that came from Zack was eerie in that his usual upbeat demeanor ceased to exist for just that moment, "When was the last time you had a physical Davis?" His eyes never left Davis's face. For a short moment, Davis looked ruffled by the words but then he just smirked devilishly.

They left their cell and saw Sephiroth coming down the hall in his shackles, escorted by Drake. By the time they reached the infirmary, Zack's mood lifted a little. They lined up and they noticed that the doctor had set up a privacy curtain, "At least someone around here doesn't mind giving us some privacy," Zack commented.

The doctor pointed to Zack and Charles brought him around the curtain. Zack resisted walking forward a little and Charles pushed him harder, "Why do I get picked first all the time?" His shackles were not removed. He had had many physicals as a member of SOLDIER, but never while he was restrained. From beside him he heard that familiar snap of the rubber glove, he flinched, "Well this is awkward."

Cloud and Sephiroth were standing, waiting their turn for their physicals and Charles stood right on the outside of the privacy curtain, looking at them.

"HEY! Can't you warm your hands first? Geez!" They heard Zack's protest. Cloud giggled quietly, he wasn't sure if it was nervousness or humor, maybe both. He looked at Sephiroth and he had a stoic look. Clearing his throat, Cloud straightened up, trying to be like the unflappable silver-haired man standing next to him.

Cloud looked up at Sephiroth's profile and the statuesque way he stood. Even in this situation Sephiroth still remained the ever impressive presence. Thinking that it really wasn't him in control during the rampage of his village kind of relieved Cloud of some of the apprehension he felt. However, he thought about the possibility of not being in control and only able to watch as your own hands did what you couldn't or wouldn't. He had thought a lot about what Sephiroth had said in the gym and the pain was still there and always would be. Cloud took a deep breath, "Excuse me, Sephiroth, can I ask you a question?" Cloud asked quietly.

"Yes?" Sephiroth's face held a patient yet intimidating force, like unpredictable nature.

Cloud almost lost the nerve to ask what he wanted. He pushed through since Sephiroth had already been through it with Jenova. He just had to know, "Have you had…bad or weird dreams or hallucinations?"

"Recently? Yes," Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at him, "Why do you ask?" Cloud noticed certain briskness in his voice.

Cloud choked back his reluctance, "Well I've had really bad… I mean weird dreams." Whispering lower, he leaned in, "About... Jenova."

Sephiroth stood straight, thought for a minute and returned to his previous stance. Without looking at Cloud, he said quietly, "Me too."

Finished with his physical, Zack came back out from behind the curtain, "Specimen S," The doctor called.

Drake took Sephiroth to the doctor and came back out and waited. Zack looked at Cloud as Charles and Zack walked past him. The younger boy lowered his eyes away from his raven-haired friend. Davis stood, with a certain amount of pride, right next to Cloud.

Zack got to the door just to stand and wait again. Standing half way across the room looking at their backs, they were partially hidden behind one of the tables and part of a desk. Zack watched very closely craning his neck a little to get a better look. He was going to see exactly what was going on. He hoped it wasn't as bad as he thought.

He didn't have to wait long when Davis leaned very close to Cloud's ear and whispered something. Cloud looked at the large guard, shook his head, and had a look of disgust and anger on his face. Davis chuckled a little, then his hand went to the boy's rear end. Cloud jerked away, but didn't say anything. Davis grinned and adjusted himself. Zack filled with fury, he was going to explode, and he wanted to let loose on Davis right then. Charles put his hand on Zack's shoulder, "Calm it down Fair."

Incensed, he spat out to Charles, "Do you see what's going on?! I'm going to kill that fucker after I break every bone in his body!"

Hearing something from behind them, Davis turned and looked. Seeing Zack furious, clenching his jaw staring him down, he just smiled and stepped closer to the object of his desire. Cloud kept his head down.

"He's just a kid! Do something you son of a bitch," He said quieter to Charles.

"It is none of my business," He said very matter-of-fact.

Zack looked at Charles and could not believe what he had just heard. Sephiroth came around the curtain. "Specimen C," came the disembodied voice of the doctor. Drake brought Sephiroth over to the door next to Zack. Davis pulled Cloud behind the curtain and moved out to the outside of the curtain and waited.

Leaning in close to his former General's ear, Zack whispered, "Do you know what I just saw?"

"What?" Sephiroth shuffled as quickly as his chain would allow.

"Davis putting his hands all over Spike, that's what!" Zack whispered loudly. Sephiroth whipped around to look at Davis. The guard in question was looking down at his nails and biting at them. His large frame leaned against part of the wall. His slightly bulging stomach hung a little over his belt. He reached down and scratched an offending itch on his belly quickly.

"I wonder how long this has been going on," Sephiroth asked without taking his eyes off of Davis.

"I had a feeling about this when we first got here. I hadn't seen much of anything until the other day when he brought him in after beating the shit out of him!" Zack was thinking that if Sephiroth could feel Cloud's feelings, maybe he could let Zack in on some information.

"Has Cloud said anything?" Sephiroth was still looking at Davis as he spoke.

"You two need to calm down," Charles stood there looking at Zack then Sephiroth.

"Oh, yeah? What are you going to do?" Zack eyed his large bulging belly and then brought his eyes up to meet Charles's eyes. Zack's intimidating stare down concluded, "You gonna beat up a couple of 'specimens' who're chained up and can't defend themselves?"

"Don't temp me," Charles glared back at him.

Zack returned his conversation back to Sephiroth with a loud huff, "As I was saying before we were rudely interrupted," Zack's eyes cut to Charles and then returned to Sephiroth, "For some reason he won't talk to me about anything anymore," He dropped his gaze.

Sephiroth turned to look at Zack, "He is still very young and he may not even know how to tell you. Maybe he will if you let him know that you know what is going on."

Zack raised his head, "I'll try that."

Cloud came from behind the curtain and they all headed for the gym. They did their exercises and conditioning in strained silence. After the gym they headed back to the lab for their injections of mako, steroids, and the black stuff. Once they were back in their cells, they collapsed on their beds, exhausted. Cloud closed his eyes as he wrapped the thin pillow under his head.

"Hey Spike, I need to talk to you."

Cloud's eyes remained closed, "What Zack?" Cloud didn't try to hide his annoyance.

"I just want… I saw what happened in the infirmary."

Cloud snapped open his eyes and looked at Zack and tried to sound oblivious to what he was talking about, "What?"

"I said that I saw what happened in the infirmary. Davis saying something to you and then he touched you."

"Enough!" Cloud got up and went to the bathroom and washed his face.

Getting up, Zack came to the bathroom and peeked around the corner, "I just wanted to tell you, I know what's going on."

Zack's reassuring eyebrow raise and a little puppy dog face mixed in got him thinking. Cloud looked at him, he felt like he could either cry, or jump up and beat the shit out of Zack. Lowering his eyes, "I didn't …"

"It's okay to talk to me," Cloud walked past his friend, back to his bed and Zack followed, sitting next to him, "Spike let me at least try to help you. Please?" Cloud said nothing. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Zack struggling to find the right thing to say, but he didn't want Zack to say anything else.

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

"Hope is the dream of a man awake." -French Proverb

**Nexus**

Chapter 14

Harding entered the lab, and Hojo was there already looking at something under the microscope, "It has been several days, go ahead and get a blood sample and run a pregnancy test," Hojo ordered without looking up.

Harding went and got the vials, needles, tourniquet and gloves. Placing the tourniquet on her arm, he looked at her as she slept, seemingly peacefully. He hoped that everything that Hojo had planned for her didn't require her to be awake at all. He didn't want her in pain. After the blood was drawn, he went and did the test. While they waited on the results, they made a trip over to the infirmary. Chase wasn't in there, so Hojo went in the file cabinet and rustled around until he found the file he wanted. Hojo left and Harding followed him back to Lab 4.

Looking over the file, Hojo rubbed his chin, and then hit his hand down on the desk, "That's it!" He jumped up and went to the microscope.

"Sir, is there something that I can help you with?" Curiosity was about to explode at his temples.

"Just a moment," Hojo held up a finger in the air and then placed it back under the papers he looked over.

Harding stood there, waiting impatiently. He started tapping his fingers restlessly on the counter. Hojo raised his head and shot a glare at him, then went back to the microscope. Harding nervously stopped and pulled his hand off the counter. Finally, he looked over at Harding, "The cells are communicating with one another!"

"I don't understand, sir."

"The link between C and S. Now I just need to determine how deep the connection goes. I need to find out if it can be turned off and on at will, once specimen C integrates the Jenova implant of course." The timer went off to indicate that the results of the test were ready. Harding slightly jumped and Hojo just about ran him over to get over there. "This is fantastic!" Hojo exclaimed. "The health of specimen B is of the utmost importance now. Ready the vitamin and mako injections."

"Sir?!"

Hojo swelled his chest toward Harding and spat out, "Did you not hear me the first time? Do not jeopardize the success of my project with your sense of morality or stupidity."

Taken by surprise by his outburst, "It's not that sir, but shouldn't we wait until the fetus has developed a little farther before the mako injections?"

Hojo relaxed and put his hand to his chin and rubbed it lightly, "Perhaps you make a valid point. We will wait for two weeks before starting the mako injections to make sure that full implantation has taken place."

* * *

Being brought back into the lab for their regular mako shots, Cloud and Sephiroth were brought in and put on the tables. Cloud refused to walk to the table and fought the whole way over, "No! Please!"

"Now C, stop fighting," Hojo said in a condescending way.

"Get your hands off of me!" The sound of Cloud's shackles clanked and rattled with his continued struggle.

Sephiroth watched with interest. When Drake pulled on him to put him on the table, he then fought against his restraints too, in support of the blond, "Hojo leave him alone."

Hojo nodded to Harper and he punched Cloud in the jaw, knocking him down to the ground. Cloud curled into a ball as much as he could with his hands cuffed behind him and took the subsequent beating. Sephiroth had to lean against the table to keep from falling. Hojo wrote down quickly on his notes. Hojo holding his hand up to Harper and speaking to Cloud, "Now, are you willing to comply?"

Cloud and Sephiroth said nothing. Harper pulled Cloud to his feet, turned him around to face the table. He pushed his head down on the table. Sending a quick cry of pain as the metal against his head made the sound of a sour note from a tuning fork. Harper yelled in Cloud's ear, "Now stay!" Sephiroth had to lean on the table meant for him.

After they were strapped down to the tables, Wolfe brought some electrodes and began sticking them onto both of them, on their temples, necks, and chests.

"I will be testing your connection with each other and your cooperation is strongly suggested." Hojo turned and headed to Sephiroth, "It is very important that you let me know when you feel something from C." With that he went over to Cloud, "This may hurt." He lifted up a mallet and it came down on Cloud's left hand. It didn't break any bones, but it still stung like getting caught in a vice. A startled scream escaped from him and a groan from Sephiroth. Hojo immediately put the mallet back on the side table and went to Sephiroth and asked where it hurt. Through clenched teeth, he refused and turned his face away from the Professor who scanned Sephiroth with his eager eyes. He leaned closer and got to Sephiroth's ear, "S, your contribution to this test is very strongly recommended." Sephiroth kept his eyes pointed at the far wall and didn't move.

Hojo stood up and sighed, "Very well. Suit yourself." Hojo put his hand on Sephiroth's bare shoulder and ran his hand softly and slowly down his arm and his pale skin prickled with goose bumps. Hojo ran his fingers down to the knuckles of the tight fist Sephiroth squeezed his fingers into. The scientist lifted the former General's fist and slid his hand under it and held it gently. With his other hand, Hojo softly stroked the fist.

Sephiroth moved his eyes to Hojo and down at his hand, "It's okay S, I understand." Hojo's words sounded quiet and concerned. Sephiroth loosened his grip for just a second and Hojo took the opportunity and straightened his fingers out. Hojo held tight as Sephiroth tried to pull his hand into a fist again. He ran his fingers between Sephiroth's fingers and picked up his pinky finger. When the snap of bone popped in the air, Sephiroth jerked his head back and a groan found its way out of his throat.

"Now, S. Where did you feel C's pain? Just remember, we can do this all day. You and C both have a lot of fingers left." Sephiroth breathed hard and held up his left hand as much as the restraints would allow. "Fascinating." Sephiroth straightened his right hand as much as his broken finger would allow. Hojo looked over at Cloud who had his neck strained looking over the top of Sephiroth's head, "C! I don't allow cheating. Do you understand?" Cloud straightened his neck back and said nothing.

Walking back to Cloud, he wiped alcohol and iodine on the blonde's arm and then picked up a scalpel. A small superficial cut into the skin, Cloud hissed and Sephiroth groaned. Hojo put that scalpel down, picked up another one, then went to Sephiroth, "Now S, did you feel that?" Sephiroth just glared at him. "Where did you feel it that time?" Staying still and quiet, Sephiroth kept his glare fixed on Hojo's face, "S are you sure you don't want to tell me?" Turning his face from him again, the former General indicated his left forearm. "Excellent! Wolfe, Burton, don't forget to get these results down. Record the readings from the monitors."

"Yes sir," Wolfe went over and began writing on his notes. Burton went to the monitors and writing the read outs down in the notebook.

Going around to Sephiroth's right arm, he did the same procedure of sterilizing his arm and then pierced a small cut into his skin. Sephiroth let out a grunt though his teeth. Hojo went over to Cloud and asked if he had felt that. Cloud looked at him. "Answer me C." The blond nodded his head yes slowly and Hojo asked eagerly, "Where did you feel it?"

Cloud stuttered questioningly, "M-my leg?"

Hojo looked at him very intently, narrowing his eyes, "Now C are you lying to me? I don't like people lying to me." Cloud nodded his head yes slowly. "C, what am I going to do with you?"

"I'm sorry, please don't! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Cloud's pleas were ignored.

Hojo grabbed Cloud's pinky finger on his left hand and twisted it upward until it snapped. Both Cloud and Sephiroth let a quick pained cry out. "Now C, are you going to lie to me anymore?"

Cloud shook his head vigorously as he breathed out.

* * *

Zack was doing some sit ups when Davis came to get him for his injections. As soon as Zack saw who it was he pounced on him before he was completely in the room. Zack performed a running punch to the face and then he grabbed his arm and pulled him farther into the cell.

As Davis was stumbling forward, Zack jumped up and dropped his elbow down on the base of his skull, knocking them both to the ground. Zack rolled out and jumped to his feet. The former Soldier went to punch him again, but Davis was able to dodge it.

The guard kicked up and caught Zack in his side causing him to stumble over on top of Davis. He got an elbow hit to Zack's eye then he rolled away from the angered brunette and jumped to his feet. Zack kicked Davis's feet out from under him dropping him to the ground again and he got one hand on his chest as he let punch after punch fly to the side of the guard's face.

With a growl, Zack stopped and leaned forward, closer to his face, "Don't you ever touch him again, or _I_ _will fuck you up_." He put his hands around his throat and squeezed his hands together watching the blood vessels in his eyes expand and burst. For the first time, Zack felt the _want_ to kill and it was shocking that he couldn't stop himself. In a part of his mind, he was thankful that he was being pulled off of the unconscious guard, but he still fought to get back to finish the job. The infantry soldiers zapped him four times before he stopped fighting.

Finally getting him restrained, they took him to the lab and the other two soldiers took Davis to the infirmary. Zack didn't know about his dislocated shoulder until they were strapping him in the chair. They got him all strapped in except for his right arm. Doctor Medlock was in the lab already with Sephiroth and Cloud dressing their newly acquired wounds from Hojo. Cloud and Sephiroth had bandaging on both of their forearms. Cloud sported splints on three of his fingers and Sephiroth's hand had a finger splint as well.

"Zack?" Cloud studied him, concerned.

He blinked and then looked at him and as soon as he focused on Cloud, his eyes immediately softened and his face relaxed, his tone was strained and quiet, "Hey buddy."

Noah went to look at Zack's shoulder, but Hojo told him to leave, "But Professor, He needs to-"

"You can leave now doctor," Hojo glared and waited for Noah to leave.

Hojo, examined Zack from across the room then walked closer, "This is starting to become a problem with you." He stood right in front of him, grabbed Zack's hand and yanked on his arm to amplify the pain. "Now what am I going to do with you?" Zack grit his teeth and breathed in hard and held it.

Zack didn't want Hojo to break him, but he was making it damn hard. Hojo pulled on his arm again, a little harder, and the brunette let a small loud grunt out. Hojo didn't seem satisfied without a scream, so he spoke calmly in a superior sounding voice, "Is this how you're going to make me deal with your problem behavior?" Hojo looked at him and smiled a small lipless smile and jerked harder than before. Zack cried out in a short outburst, Hojo seemed a little more pleased with that, "I would hate for something like this to happen again, wouldn't you?" Again he yanked hard and kept the pressure on, amplifying the pain even more. Zack's scream was a little longer, "Now that's better." Turning to Burton, Hojo ordered, "Prepare the injections."

* * *

Noah Medlock was the only son of two wealthy executives in the Shinra Corporation. His two older sisters had followed in their parents footsteps and they were all hard-nosed business people. Noah had always been different from his family. He didn't want to be a wealthy businessman; he always wanted to be a doctor. His compassion for others was his greatest gift, he loved being around people and always had been a caregiver in some form or another.

When he had been offered this job through Shinra, he jumped at the opportunity to work with Hojo. Hojo was very well known in the scientific community as a visionary. Noah walked into this job and Hojo immediately went for the jugular, so to speak. The young doctor's discretion and his ability to be open-minded were first and for-most in the Professor's book. Signing the confidentiality agreement was his first initiation into this world of pain that Hojo considered a playground full of inhumanity.

Meeting the Professor's fully conscious human specimens threw the tender-hearted young doctor into a psychological frenzy. He hated what was happening, but what could he do? He couldn't talk to his parents, so he had to decide for himself what he was going to do. Tapping the pen nervously against his chin, he ran his fingers through his blond hair and stared at the medical profiles of the three men.

Thinking about the few things he had witnessed and the things that he could imagine had already happened, made him gag in revulsion. What Hojo had told him was in store for the three of them scared him. A tear fell from his cheek onto the picture of Cloud as his eyes bounced around all three pictures.

He gathered the profiles together and placed them neatly back in the filing cabinet. Straightening himself up, he walked out of the infirmary with his mind made up.

* * *

After receiving their injections, they were taken back to their cells. Cloud immediately went to help Zack while he lay on the floor where he was thrown.

"Tell me what to do, Zack."

Zack explained to him how to put his shoulder back in. Although Cloud had a difficult time gripping Zack's arm because of the broken bones in his fingers, he breathed through the pain. Putting his foot under Zack's arm and held onto his wrist and hand, he then prepared himself, "Okay, on three, ready?" The brunette nodded slowly. "Okay… one… two…three!" Cloud pulled and lifted just like Zack told him, but he didn't do it hard enough. Zack let out a quick pained cry and put his head back down on the floor. Cloud backed up against the wall and slid down it, wrapping his arms around his legs. "Zack I'm so sorry, I tried. I'm sorry!" Cloud buried his face in his arms.

After a few seconds, Zack got Cloud's attention, "Spiky, I… need your help okay."

Cloud looked over at his friend, and his face was red and his arm was limp, "But I hurt you worse, I don't know if I can. I don't want to hurt you."

"It's okay I…need for you to do…this for me," Zack made determined eye contact with him.

Cloud nodded his head and went back over, reached down and put his foot back under the older boy's arm. Taking a deep breath, Cloud counted out loud, "One… two… three!" Cloud did what Zack told him, but Zack groaned loudly and rolled over on his back while holding his shoulder. Cloud went back to the wall and slid back down, "I'm sorry, I just can't do it Zack."

Through deep loud breaths of relief, "You g-got it that time."

"I did?" He stood back up and went to back to him, "Do you want help to your bed?"

"Maybe in… a minute. I'm pretty comfy here for… the time being."

Cloud rolled a blanket up and put it under his head. A little later Zack got up on the bed, "Zack? Can I ask you what happened?"

Zack lay on his bed looking up at the ceiling, arm across his chest, he rubbed at his throbbing shoulder, "Yeah, you can ask."

"Well? What happened?" Cloud stared at him.

"I got into a fight," Zack grinned shallowly.

Cloud slapped his hands on his own legs, "No shit! I got that much."

Zack turned his head to look at Cloud sitting at the foot of his bed and raised his eyebrows, "They wanted me to go to the lab and I didn't want to."

Cloud looked back at Zack and rolled his eyes, "You hard-headed asshole!"

Closing his eyes, Zack muttered, "Yeah? Well you know me."

* * *

The baby was developing quickly. Very quickly in fact. She had only been pregnant for four weeks but she already had a small bump developing. At the rate it was growing, the total gestation would only be six to eight months. Bonnie got her prenatal injections daily and she had mako injections three times a week. In addition to that, Hojo had started injecting mako directly into the amniotic fluid.

Harding got the heart rate and size of the baby and recorded it on the medical diagnostic record. He looked again at Bonnie's face. They had to intubate her three days ago when she started having trouble breathing. She had developed fluid in her lungs from lack of activity. A regimen of "exercises" was implemented to lower the chances of it happening again. This was added as part of Harding's job description. Thinking selfishly to himself with a sigh, he rolled his eyes, 'now I'm a physical therapist.'

After taking down both sets of vitals, he began his new task. He removed her sheet and covered her in a hospital gown. Rolling her onto her side, he was tying the back when he heard something. Rolling her back onto her back, he saw that her eyes were open slightly. He looked behind him to see if Hojo had heard. Satisfied that he hadn't, he opened her lid all the way open. Her deep brown eyes glowed with little green flecks and it was mesmerizing. She then focused on him, she was waking up.

Hojo spoke from behind him, "I guess we will have to increase the sedation as we increase the mako."

Harding jumped and almost dropped her head back down on the table, "Yes sir," he stuttered out sadly.

* * *

Sephiroth made himself busy with exercise. He was in his cell alone, which on any normal occasion was fine with him. However this was a lot different than normal. All the tests he had run on him and Cloud earlier made Sephiroth realize that Hojo was enjoying it; he could see it in his eyes.

He tried pushups but the cuts on his forearms and his broken finger proved to be too painful to attempt. Sit ups would suffice. Zack had told him that that was one way that he and Cloud passed the time sitting in their cell. They also would spar so Zack could teach Cloud more combat moves and kept him in practice. As awkward as it would be for him, he still wished he had a cellmate.

Sephiroth had several things that swam around in his head. How is he able to feel Cloud's feelings? Why couldn't Cloud feel his? What were Hojo's motives? Would he be leaving here alive? Why had he been made to destroy the town and its people? Would Hojo continue this line of research if he wasn't there?

As he unconsciously increased the speed of his sit ups, he felt hot blood on one of his arms. Spinning around, he sat with his back against his bed and examined his bandaging. Somehow, he had popped some of his stitches open, he muttered sarcastically, "…Wonderful."

Standing up and going to the bathroom to wash up, he passed by the mirror and didn't like what he saw. All he saw now was a coward, a murderer, a Soldier with no honor, a killer at the will of a mad man.

Leaning on the counter in front of the mirror, he hung his head. Had his whole life been a lie? The images of that night, when Nibelheim burned, flashed though his mind; the screaming of the citizens of the small town, the searing heat of the fire, the offensive smell of innocent blood shed needlessly. Although he had had no control at the time, it was still by his hand. Part of the job of a Soldier, and the General, was to protect the innocent. What if Jenova took him over again?

His trembling hands went to the counter, leaning against it and his frustration, anger, sadness and sorrow came out in a scream of anguish. Punching the mirror, he shattered it and his right hand dripped blood from the fresh cuts. His eyes followed the blood droplets down to the broken shards on the counter and the sink and he exhaled slowly.

Starting the shower, he had always liked his showers hot and once it was at its hottest, he disrobed. Sitting on the floor in the shower stall, he watched as his vital life blood flowed from his arm and down the drain.

* * *

They were talking again and Zack was thankful; he missed talking to his friend. Cloud was doing some squats with Zack, they were able to do those despite Zack's shoulder and Cloud's broken fingers. The blond was telling Zack about the tests that Hojo did that morning.

"Yeah, and then… he hit Seph's hand… with the mallet… because he wanted… me to scream," Cloud relayed between breaths.

"That's insane, but… then again he is… a certified nut bag… if you ask me," Zack stated between his squats.

Cloud stopped suddenly and his eyes widened, his pupils dilated and he went down in a heap on the floor, "Spike!" Zack patted his face several times trying to rouse him. Finding Cloud's pulse, he noticed it was slow and weak and his breathing started to slow. Zack ran to the door and banged on it screaming, "Hey! Somebody! Cloud needs help! Call the Doctor!"

The door opened and Zack grabbed the person and yanked them through the doorway. It was one of the infantry soldiers he and Cloud had beaten up. Alarmed and trying to pull away from the frantic larger Soldier, Stringer asked with a squeak in his voice, "What is going on in here?"

"Stringer! Get some help quick! There is something wrong with him!"

"Okay, hang on," Stringer shut the door as he left.

Zack ran back to Cloud's side and put his head and shoulders onto his lap, "Come on Buddy, you can't leave me now." It seemed to be taking forever for the doctor to get there. "What is taking so long?" He yelled from his place on the floor. Cloud's body seemed to relax, with his breathing slowing more, "Just hang in there Buddy, help's coming," Zack stroked Cloud's hair back unconsciously.

As Stringer came rushing back through the door, Zack saw Sephiroth on a gurney as they went past the cell. Barber and Stringer had a new urgency to their demeanor when they came in and got Cloud. Zack helped them get Cloud's limp body onto the gurney they brought with them.

Zack questioned, "What is going on? What happened to Sephiroth?"

"I don't know, I just know that Sephiroth…" Barber started.

"Sephiroth what?!" His raised voice glanced off the walls and back to his ears.

Barber just looked at him with a little sadness, "I don't know."

"Barber we got to go before we lose this one too," Stringer quickly let out. They closed the door behind them.

Zack stood in the middle of the cold, silent cell and tried to process all that had transpired, "What did you mean this one too?" He slowly asked the closed door. Stumbling to the door, his hand touched the cold metal, goose bumps migrated up his arm. Turning around, his back smacked against the door and he slid down to the floor and ran his fingers through his hair. Resting his elbows on his drawn up knees, he shook his head as his heart beat hard in his chest, "What the hell is going on?" He asked himself quietly.


	15. Chapter 15

"Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." -Mark Twain

Chapter 15

Zack didn't know how long he had been in that same spot, the waiting and not knowing was killing him, he thought, _'What did Stringer mean when he said that they couldn't lose this one too? What happened to Sephiroth? Is whatever happened to Sephiroth happening to Cloud too?_ ' He banged the back of his head against the door and all the questions that flipped around in his head were doing nothing but making him even more nervous, _'Damn it, why won't they come tell me something. I was just talking to Cloud and he was fine_.'

Without realizing it, a fist constricted at the end of his arm, his fingernails planted firmly in his palm as his fist came down on the tile floor. The small splatter of blood on the floor caught his attention. Opening his hand, the four small gouges bled slowly, _'I can't even help myself so how am I supposed to help Cloud?_ ' He hated himself, for letting Hojo take over their lives. _'If anything happens to Cloud, I don't know what I'd do. I promised him that I would get him out of here_.'

* * *

Drake was always a little on the slow side. Being made fun of his whole life, he learned to just ignore it for the most part. He was a large man and his dirty blond hair always seemed to hang down in his face but he liked it that way though, he felt as though he was hiding and no one would see him. Drake's older brother, who worked in the main Shinra building, is the one who got him the job here at the labs with Professor Hojo. One of Drake's friends at the therapy center called his brother a "big wig" in the Shinra Company.

The large man didn't talk, and no one really knew why, not even he knew why he didn't ever talk, but his brother always seemed to know what he wanted or anything he needed. Back in Midgar, his older brother got him an apartment and helped any way that he could. The first job that he ever had was a job as an orderly at a local hospital and Drake really liked it. Inevitably with budget cuts he got laid off, so then his brother found him this job with Hojo. He didn't fully understand all of what was happening here; he figured since his brother got him the job, it didn't matter whether he understood or not.

Drake's brother told him that he was tired of his little brother getting picked on so he signed him up for hand to hand combat and self-defense classes when Drake was still a teenager. The tender-hearted man hated having to fight the men here, but he had to defend himself, that is what Drake had been told the classes were for anyway. He supposed that he fit well into this facility, no one bothered him, well except for Davis and he didn't like Davis.

It was time to feed the men that he escorted around the underground labs and Drake decided he wanted to bring the one with the long, pretty hair his food first. When he unlocked the door and brought the food in, he didn't see him, but he heard the shower going. Drake carefully placed the tray of food on the bed and started to leave and that is when he heard a soft sound that he had heard before and it was not a sound he liked. It meant bad things.

Hesitantly he moved toward the bathroom and with slow deliberate movements, he peered around the corner of the doorway.

The man with pretty hair was sitting up at the bottom of the shower stall. The hot water fell in a steady stream over his shoulder and side. His shoulder and head had slumped over and come to rest on the back wall. One of his legs was out straight and his other leg was bent and propped up against the wall that his head had settled on. His eyes were partly open and sometimes they would glow, but now there was no glimmer of light.

Blood swirled and blended with the water as the sickening mixture went around and down the drain. Drake delicately went over and nudged the bare foot that was out stretched, nothing happened. With a deep sense of urgency, Drake ran to get Charles because he would know what to do.

When Charles came into the cell and saw the man with pretty hair lying there, he told Drake to get a gurney quickly. He did as he was told and then he helped Charles get him onto the gurney. The man's skin was cool to the touch, despite the hot shower and his hair flowed over one side of the gurney and it dripped water droplets down to the floor. It reminded him of the waterfall that he and his big brother had camped close to once.

This had been a bad day for Drake and he was tired. It was almost time for Davis to show up and then Drake could go to his room and sleep.

* * *

There was a bustle of activity as Dr. Medlock got a flustered look when both patients were wheeled into the infirmary. Sephiroth was wheeled in first followed closely by Cloud. The former General was extremely pale and his blood pressure was next to nothing, Noah immediately barked out orders to the four lab assistants, "Get heart, oxygen and blood pressure monitors on both of them. Get vitals on Cloud and get an IV started. I need a central line kit for Sephiroth. Someone call Doctor Chase in here now!" Once he got the central line established for the older of the two, the doctor barked, "Start the transfusion for Sephiroth and push it."

Suddenly, from across the room, one of the assistants yelled, "Doctor! C's blood pressure is bottoming out!"

Before the assistant could finish telling of Cloud's distress, another assistant announced, "S is coding!"

"Damn! Get everything going on Cloud and bring the defibrillator over here," The doctor started on Sephiroth with a shot of adrenaline in his central line. Chase showed up as Medlock began shocking Sephiroth. "Doctor, could you help me out here." Chase got Sephiroth intubated and they shocked him five times before his heart started beating again. With the transfusion and fluid going, he was starting to stabilize, but he was still critical. "Okay, what is Cloud's vitals?" Medlock was looking over the monitors, his pressure was very low, but was slowly and steadily rising.

Chase addressed Burton, "Bring me the suture kit so I can go ahead and get started on S's cuts," He looked over his arms and in addition to the cuts he had received from Hojo; he had at least ten additional cuts, some deeper than others. Each doctor took an arm and began the long process of stitching the deep lacerations that ran vertically down his arms. When they were finally done they bandaged his arms and placed them back underneath the sheet. Medlock walked over and rechecked Cloud's vitals. They were in the normal range now and if he had been awake he would have sent him on his way.

Hojo came in quickly, "Doctor Chase, are the specimens ready for their injections?" Hojo inquired soullessly. Hojo's gaze went to Sephiroth and then back to the doctor.

Medlock stepped in front of Chase, "Professor, I'm the one that ran the code and with all due respect, no they aren't. Both of them almost died, well one actually did!" Medlock was beyond annoyed. He tossed the patient charts hard on his desk.

Hojo spit out, "Doctor Medlock, do not take that tone with me! This is _my_ lab, _my_ project and _MY_ specimens!" Hojo's dark, abysmal eyes peered over his glasses and Medlock shivered at the black void that threatened to swallow him.

Both Doctors were taken aback by Hojo's tone and Medlock took a slow breath and answered calmly, "Right now, they are both stable, but Sephiroth… I mean S, is still in very serious condition." Medlock crossed his arms.

Chase interjected, "Professor, once they fully stabilize, we can better determine the full extent of the situation."

"Very well doctors, get them better quickly," Hojo turned and rushed out. Medlock looked at Chase in disbelief. As Hojo strolled down the hall, he realized something. The Professor looped around and went back into the infirmary. With one hand behind his back he brought his free hand up and touched a finger to his lips, "Doctor, was C bleeding out as well?"

Medlock sighed and didn't hide his annoyance, "No Professor, he wasn't."

Hojo looked pleased as he whirled back around and pushed his way out the door again.

* * *

A familiar clink at the door got Zack's attention and he jumped to his feet.

Barber and Stringer came in and looked at Zack, who was sweating in anxious anticipation and he looked as though at the slightest sound, he would jump right out of his skin, "Well? Is Cloud okay?"

Stringer stood out in the hall and looked around nervously. Barber spoke quietly, "Cloud and Sephiroth…" Zack's heart sank. "I don't know all the medical stuff but…"

Stringer put his hand on Barber's shoulder, "What Barber is trying to say, but isn't doing a very good job is, both of them are fine." Stringer finished, "Damn Barber, I hope you never have to give me any news. You suck at it."

Zack relaxed and let out a loud sigh, fully relieved, "Heh, yeah you do suck at that." He let out the breath that he had held and bent over and put his hands on his knees. Zack snapped his face up to them and asked, "Do you know what happened?"

"Nah, I don't understand all that medical mumbo jumbo," Stringer's stance changed and his tone hardened, "Now we need to take you down to the lab for your injections." Zack's eyes traveled down to the soldier's hand, the restraints hung down at his side.

The next day, when Cloud was finally allowed of come back to the cell after a day in the infirmary, Zack grabbed the back of his head and pulled him into a hug, "You scared the hell out of me Spiky!"

Zack had the bottom half of Cloud's face squished against his shoulder, "Thorry aboot thaat," He struggled a little from Zack's grasp and finally managed to get out of the tight hold.

"Oh! Sorry! I'm just glad you're okay!" Zack smiled a big smile. "What happened?"

Cloud sat on his bed and shook his head, "I just know that Sephiroth was in critical condition, but I don't know why though."

A couple of days later, when they got back from the gym and their shots, they were exhausted. Zack went to the bathroom and Cloud shivered himself under his blanket and closed his eyes. When he was out of the shower, the brunette threw his blanket on top of his dozing friend, "Scoot," He nudged with the back of his hand and once Cloud scooted over, Zack crawled under the blanket and draped his arm over the smaller boy's side.

Cloud stared at the cold white tile wall, "Zack?"

"Hmm? What's up?" Zack sounded so tired.

Cloud inhaled and held it, "Well, I've been thinking about something."

Zack let out a quiet sigh, "What's that?"

"The day your shoulder was dislocated. What really happened?" Cloud bit his lip gently, waiting for an answer.

"Spike, don't worry about it," The arm that Zack had draped over Cloud's side twitched, with a sigh he began to sound like he was getting angry.

"I just…thank you," Cloud said quietly.

Zack inhaled loudly and said as he exhaled, "No problem. Now shush already, I need my beauty sleep and so do you, you ugly son of a bitch." Cloud couldn't help but smile.

Cloud laid there for a little while thinking about things. He still wanted to tell Zack about his hallucinations or whatever they were. The soft snore against the back of his head let Cloud know that Zack had drifted off to sleep.

Squeezing his eyes closed, Cloud inhaled quietly and whispered softly, "I don't know what to do, I feel like I'm losing myself. I want to talk to you, but I don't want you to blame yourself if you can't help me." He stopped and listened to the steady rhythm of Zack's breaths and when he was satisfied that he was still asleep, the younger boy continued, "The hallucinations are always about the same thing and they seem so real." Cloud paused, "I'm scared Zack." He wiped clumsily at his face, he wanted to sleep, but he was afraid that Jenova was waiting for him.

* * *

Sephiroth finally woke up after several days. The groggy feeling clogged his head and his eyes were hazy. Blinking several times, he looked around and from what he could tell, he was in the infirmary.

Angry that he woke up at all, he reached to rub his eyes but he was restrained to the bed, "Well S, you gave us quite a scare, but everything is okay now. So, do you want to talk about what happened?" Chase looked at Sephiroth with indifference mixed with arrogance.

Sephiroth shot a scowl at the doctor as he lifted his head just a little off the flat pillow and slowly said in a deep tone, "Not with you." Sephiroth calmly lowered his head back to the bed.

Chase shrugged, sat down at his desk and picked up the phone, "Professor… S is awake… yes sir." When he hung up the phone he began going through some of the files that had been left on the desk by the techs. His pen moved rapidly as he wrote in some of his notes.

Hojo came in abruptly and approached Sephiroth with an angry frown on his face, "S, I have been very concerned about you." He raised his eyebrows, "I do not understand your willingness to die, but I am _not_ going to allow it," Hojo's tone sounded like a parent scolding his child.

Sephiroth again lifted his head slowly, his eyes burned furiously and the glow emanated from deep beneath his once buried feelings, "I do not care whether you allow it or not." Sephiroth moved as if he were trying to sit up in a quick movement toward Hojo, causing the scientist to jump back in surprise. Sephiroth's normally calm demeanor was overshadowed by a debilitating depression. His eyes met Hojo's and in a low, calm tone he said, "You are deliberately killing us bit by bit. I just thought that I would speed up the process and deprive you of the satisfaction of _my_ demise by _your_ hand."

Hojo put his hand on the side of the bed, "That is not what I am wanting for you. You don't understand what you are a part of here." Tapping his finger on the sheet in a rhythm, he got lost in thought. He looked at Sephiroth then the doctor and back to Sephiroth, "Very well, we will put you in with Z and C for the time being. Maybe being in there with them will lift your spirits." Sephiroth lowered his head back to the bed. He studied the ceiling and his jaw clenched together and a clear tic of his jaw muscles could be seen. Hojo nodded to Davis, "Take him to Z and C's cell."

Davis walked Sephiroth down the hall to the shared cell. Quietly the guard opened the door and out of habit, he surveyed the room. There were two beds and only one was occupied with both of Hojo's other specimens, and they were asleep. Sephiroth lowered his head a little and walked silently over to the empty bed. He was glad that they were asleep, because he didn't think that he could talk right then. They would inevitably ask questions, especially Zack, he had only ever known one other person like him. To say that Zack was unique was a bit of an understatement. Cloud, he really didn't know him very well, but from what he could tell, he was a pretty quiet person. As he sat down, he glanced over at them before he lay down, Zack was friends with Cloud and if the young First liked him, Sephiroth guessed that he was a good person, because in his experience, good people befriended good people.

The silver haired man couldn't sleep; his mind hustled through everything, so he just stared at the ceiling. The night at the reactor popped into his head and he recognized Cloud's determination, pain and love. If a young boy that evidently failed the Soldier exams and was only an infantryman could best him, even after having a sword pierce his chest, it gave Sephiroth a newfound respect for the boy.

He lay there for a couple of hours, feeling the time tick by, when Zack woke up. When he rolled out of bed, the younger man startled at the sight of Sephiroth in their cell, "Sephiroth?"

Turning his head, he looked blankly at Zack and blandly stated the reason for his occupancy of the cell, "They put me in here with you so you two could keep an eye on me." Slowly, he turned his head back to look at the ceiling.

Confused, Zack rubbed the back of his neck, "Why would they want us to keep an eye on you?"

"They didn't tell you?" He maintained his gaze upward and in a subdued voice.

Zack raised his voice slightly, "Tell me what?" Without taking his eyes off of the ceiling, Sephiroth held his arms up. Zack looked but his arms and wrists were bandaged, "Seph, what is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?"

Sephiroth's head ached; he felt like he was going crazy. Anger, sadness and turmoil racked his brain with guilt; he just wanted to stop living in his head, "I didn't know that it was going to affect him too." Sephiroth confessed.

"Seph, what the hell is wrong?" At the sound of Zack beginning to yell, Cloud turned over and sat up on the side of the bed.

"What's going on?" Cloud's puzzled look went from Sephiroth to Zack and then back again.

"Cloud, I am sorry, I didn't know," Sephiroth sat up and turned to look at him, "I thought it was just one way." Turning his gaze away, the older man stared at nothing on the floor between him and the youngest of the three.

Zack got to Sephiroth and grabbed him by the shoulders and brought him to his feet, "Tell me what happened."

Sephiroth's shoulders stayed in the tight grip, but he turned his head away from Zack's scrutiny, "I saw everything I _never_ wanted to be looking back at me in the mirror," His heart skipped a beat as he recalled everything up to the point of sitting in the shower and he grew angry that he was there at that moment. This is exactly what he didn't want, the questions and hard looks that he was receiving. He didn't do well with other people and Shinra made damn sure of that. Pulling back from Zack's firm grasp, he tore the bandages off in a hurried fit of anger, "This! This is what happened!"

"What the hell? So that's what happened the other day?" Zack froze for a minute, "Seph… Sephiroth!" Zack shook his head and indicated his arms, "I can't believe a man such as the great Sephiroth is reduced to this!" A hard slap across the face was hard enough for the oldest man to slightly lose his balance. Sephiroth caught himself on the side of the bed and blinked, the glaze over his eyes lifted. "You're the great General Sephiroth!" Zack paused and studied Sephiroth's face as he stood upright, "Whatever happened has already happened! You can't change that, it's what you do about it now is what counts! I learned that from Angeal, my mentor and your friend and colleague!"

Sephiroth stared into Zack's strong willed eyes for a moment. If Angeal had been there right then, he would have gotten one of his famous lectures. Realizing something, he _did_ want to be around people and he wanted friends, good friends, "You're right, I'm sorry."

Sephiroth thought that this could be an opportunity for him. He wanted a chance to have the life that he tried to start at one point in his life, before it had been savagely ripped from him in the most painful way imaginable. He could learn from Zack and Cloud what true friendship was and what it meant. He already had a head start by _taking one_ for the group and hoped against all that was holy that Zack or Cloud would never find out. He turned his pleading eyes to Cloud, "Cloud please forgive me."

Cloud looked at him, stood up, walked over calmly and then punched the former General, drawing blood from his mouth.

"Spike!" Zack yelled.

Holding his hand up, Sephiroth calmed the brunette, "It is okay Zackary, I deserve it," He said as he lowered himself back to sitting on the bed.

After a silent and tense moment of clenched fists, Sephiroth noticed the fight in Cloud's face, the deep feelings that swirled his the young boy's passionate blue eyes. Sephiroth could feel his internal struggle, being in such close proximity, Cloud wanted to forgive him because that was the kind of person the boy is.

The devastation Cloud went through would be the only thing stopping him from forgiving. It was okay though. Sephiroth knew it would be difficult for Cloud because he himself had been through something devastating and it changed him forever, or so he thought. It had been so long since he had been close to anyone, but Sephiroth still wanted to reach out to them. Then to Sephiroth's surprise Cloud sat down beside him, "I forgive you. I realize that it wasn't really you."

Sephiroth was unable to withhold his surprise, but he still lowered his eyes from those of the blond, "Thank you Cloud." Sephiroth felt warmth suddenly grow inside his heart at the thought of this boy. Everything had been taken away from him at Sephiroth's hands and yet he still found it in him to forgive.

"Now, are you feeling better?" Zack slapped Sephiroth's shoulder.

Cloud nudged Sephiroth with his elbow, "I always wanted to meet you properly anyway."

Sephiroth's attention went to fidgeting with his bandages then he paused, "What do you mean properly?"

"Oh, uh… never mind," Cloud blushed and got up and walked back over to his bed, sitting with a plop he sighed with crossed arms.

Zack sat next to Sephiroth and helped him put his bandages back on while Sephiroth studied Cloud's face, "I swear I have seen you before; before all of this happened." Sephiroth paused and studied him harder, "Do you have a brother or sister that worked for Shinra?"

Cloud blushed brighter and dove face first into his mattress when Zack said, "No, he is an only child like me. We hung out a lot. Maybe you had seen us out together."

Sephiroth looked at Cloud. _'Why was Cloud hiding? Zackary being friends with Cloud and them hanging out together. Zackary was well known for doing some crazy stuff in the past.'_ His confusion disappeared and he was finally able to place the face. He snapped his fingers and pointed at Cloud, "Maria!"

Zack froze and looked over at Cloud with a smile. If Cloud could have crawled _into_ the mattress, he would have. Zack blushed and started laughing. From the mattress they heard, "Isth noo thunny!"

The full realization hit Sephiroth, "Zack? Just to think that I, Oh, I…" He couldn't help it, he started laughing with Zack. "Well he definitely fooled me!" The laughter felt good to him as it entwined its way through his body. He hadn't laughed in so long; he had forgotten how wonderful it felt.

Zack stood up and pulled Sephiroth up to standing, "You know Seph, that smile looks good on you!" Sephiroth looked over at Cloud as he writhed in embarrassment and then the touch of Zack's hand on his back, he felt the despair lifting from his tarnished soul.

Right after Sephiroth had been put in their cell, Hojo added sit ups, push-ups, pull-ups and a treadmill into the rotation. Over the next few months, they got used to all the extra exercises. Sephiroth had shared the cell for several months and they were surprised that Hojo had allowed it for so long.

It was a typical day in the hell hole and they waited to be escorted to the gym. They had a full day of exercises, injections and pain. When Harper, Drake and Davis showed up, they did as they were instructed, turn around, on their knees, hands on top of their head. As usual, Davis put Cloud's restraints on him. Zack glared, and Davis just smirked at him. Waddling down to the gym, they took their places at the equipment.

Cloud was on the leg machine and Zack thought that the blond started to look kind of weird. That's when Cloud's head made a dive to the floor and his legs were caught in the machine.

"Spike!" Zack dropped off of the pull up bar and tried to pull him free but his leg was stuck between the bar and the seat. The techs stood there not knowing what to do. Harper came over but Sephiroth had already lifted the bar up and Zack pulled Cloud free.

Laying the unconscious teen on his back and one of the techs was checking his vitals. All three of the guards and the other techs were standing around him and waited. His eyes were closed and he was breathing, the techs just wrote it down and noted the time as one of the techs headed for the door to get Hojo.

It just looked like Cloud was simply sleeping until the scream erupted from him, startling everyone. His body went into one of those freaky arches and then the scream tapered off. His body relaxed again and he went into convulsions. Harper grabbed him as his head was headed toward the leg of the weight bench. Then as soon as it started, it stopped. His eyes opened and he looked around confused at first and embarrassed that everyone was staring at him.

Zack asked, "What the heck just happened?"

Cloud shrugged his shoulders and averted his eyes, "Don't know."

* * *

Bonnie's pregnancy had progressed to a point that she was showing quite a bit. In a short four months, her bump had grown a great deal and they estimated that she had approximately four more months to go. Harding and Hojo could already see the movement of the baby under her skin. "I believe that specimen B needs to be put into the tank for the remainder of the gestation."

Harding prepped the tank and then prepped Bonnie. After he put all her monitors on her, Harding wanted to cover her, if only a little bit. He had to leave her stomach visible, but he covered her chest with a shirt. He cut a small amount off of the bottom of it a put it on her before getting her into the tank. He anchored her to the bottom of the tank. All her tubes, IV and monitors were ready to go. As he filled the tank with the warm water, Hojo mused at his genius. Harding couldn't help but sigh in disgust.


	16. Chapter 16

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." –Eleanor Roosevelt

Chapter 16

A few weeks after Cloud's episode in the gym, it was a day they got their injections. Very early in the morning, Davis, Harper and Charles showed up with the restraints. They lead them down the hall and into the lab where Doctor Chase was with Hojo and they were going over some papers and something about results.

Once strapped into their chairs, the pain began. The usual round of mako, steroids and the oil looking stuff was actually what they called enhancer, started their morning. After everything was done they were taken down to the gym. They hated the days that they got injections first.

They were on their third rotation starting their fourth set of reps, when one of the other lab techs came in. Cloud was needed in the lab for some tests so Charles rounded him up and took him to the lab. Davis was here in the gym so Zack allowed himself to relax a little.

Cloud went into the lab from the gym and doctors Chase and Medlock were in there looking over some recent read outs from his implant, Chase instructed, "C, some of these readings are off, I am going to run a diagnostic. I also need to do a sonogram of your organic implant. Please remove your shirt and lay down."

Charles unshackled him and he started to strap him to the table. Medlock motioned to Charles, "That won't be necessary." Cloud let out a sigh of relief.

Chase started by scanning the metal implant and the readings were off again, "I believe I am going to have to increase your steroid and enhancer." Giving him two more injections of steroids and one more of the enhancer, Cloud started feeling hot, sweaty, lightheaded and weak. Chase informed him, "It is a normal side effect because of the increase, now lay still." Pulling the sonogram machine over to him, Medlock squirted goop all over the organic implant scar.

After finishing with the scans, Dr. Medlock gave him another injection in his hip, "This injection will relax you," In a whisper, Noah leaned closer to the blond so that Chase wouldn't hear, "I'm giving you a little extra so that you can get some good sleep. Just try to rest when you get back to your cell, and we will check the results tomorrow." Cloud sat up and Doctor Chase told Charles to take him back to his cell.

* * *

Charles shut the door behind him and Cloud heard the familiar clink of the lock, leaving him alone. The blond stood there and was still feeling lightheaded, but also felt exhausted, grimy, sweaty and just all together gross.

The youngest of Hojo's captives decided to get a shower and possibly get some sleep before Zack and Sephiroth got back from the gym. Maybe then he could have the bed to himself. Cloud grinned to himself at the thought of Zack and Sephiroth having to share the other small bed.

Getting the temperature of the water just right, he stripped down and got under the firm spray. Closing his eyes, he took deep breaths and let the water run over his head and down his back and as the hot water fell over him, his muscles began to relax and the thought of a good sleep sent his mind to a detached state.

Just as he was starting to get sleepy from the shot that Medlock had given him, a large and calloused hand grabbed him. Although Cloud struggled, his feet were wet and he couldn't keep his footing on the wet tile, he screamed while holding the wrist of the offending hand, "Let go of me!"

Davis had a firm handful of the dripping spikes of Cloud's hair; yanking him from the stall and toward a waiting fist. Being blindsided, Cloud slipped and fell, his head striking the raised part of the floor that held the water in the stall.

Dazed, Cloud grabbed his head just above his eye and when he pulled his hand back blood covered his palm. Then, Davis was at him again, punching him in the face and kicking him in his side. Cloud's vision had darkness encroaching from the sides and another kick knocked the breath from him.

Weakly he punched, trying to make contact but all he hit was the wall, cracking his knuckles. Then there was nothing. Rising up to sitting, he quickly rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to clear his field of vision; he grabbed the counter and pulled himself up to standing, he had to get help, get to the door and maybe someone would help him.

Before he could ready himself for the next attack Davis was at him again.

Suddenly being pinned against the wall in a headlock, Cloud could feel Davis's breath on the side of his neck and the guard's skin touching his own, "No!"

Mustering his strength, Cloud elbowed him in the ribs and Davis let go and stumbled back. Turning away from the wall, Cloud let his momentum get a backhanded punch to the side of Davis's head. Cloud grabbed onto the counter again to keep his legs from failing him and he took the opportunity to move toward the bathroom door.

Cloud's reprieve was shortened when Davis surprised him and took him by the shoulder, spinning the dizzy teen around. Cloud's head whirled in drowsiness as he stumbled and fell forward, but Davis was there and caught him. The young blonde's feet floundered but he was finally able to push himself away from Davis and steadied himself against the wall. Davis threw another punch and got him in the side of his face knocking him to the ground again.

Desperately, Cloud tried pulling himself away from Davis and toward the doorway to the bathroom. When his speech began to slur the real panic of his current situation sunk in and he garbled, "Leave me alone!" From where he lay, he could see the door to the cell; he had to try, had to fight this cruel fate, but Cloud's strength and resolve was beginning to buckle, "No! Stop! Please!"

Davis spun him almost effortlessly, over onto his back and grabbed at Cloud's throat, and Davis straddled him, and he got two hands at Cloud's throat. The pressure of Davis's weight held his hips down and Cloud grabbed at the hands and wrists around his neck. Feeling a small boost of adrenaline, he launched punches blindly and instinct of self-preservation kicked in again as he grabbed at the hands on his neck again.

Floundering, Cloud pushed at his attacker in weak and wild fear, and then it got worse when Davis lifted Cloud up just enough for his head to clear the floor, and then swiftly back down to the damp tile in a sickly hollow thud.

Cloud's hands held on, but his grip was crumbling, digging his nails in the tanned flesh but then weakness took over and they fell out to his sides as his eyes rolled under his lids. Now, slipping in and out of consciousness, he was at the mercy of Davis and his sick desires.

Davis's face split with a lusty smile at the sight of Cloud's mouth, the guard squeezed the teen's face, causing the boy's lips to pucker, "Which one do I want first? Hmmm?"

Letting go of Cloud's face, he turned the limp body over to his stomach and slowly ran his fingers along the skin on the back of Cloud's thigh.

Cloud could feel movement behind him and when Davis leaned down and kissed his lower back, Cloud let out a weak, "No…" Trying to lift himself up and off the floor, Cloud was stopped abruptly when a hard hand pushed at his shoulder and the other around his waist from behind.

Hot breath heated Cloud's ear when Davis softly and sweetly spoke, "I told you that I was going to get what I want, sweet thing." Davis grinned as Cloud screamed.

* * *

Starting on their last rotation, Zack decided to race Sephiroth and see who finished first. Sephiroth was in the lead but the brunette was catching up very quickly, "You give up already?" Sephiroth had a blank stare and his reps slowed significantly so Zack snapped his fingers to get his attention, "What's up with you? Don't tell me you're going to have a psycho moment?" Zack turned his attention back to his reps.

Sephiroth's face went sheet white and with a strained smile, "Oh, it is nothing. I just thought I felt something, maybe I am just fatigued." Sephiroth shrugged off the feeling as best as he could but Zack could tell that it seemed to be getting worse as time went on.

Zack got back in the rhythm on the row machine, "It could be the tests they are running on Spike." Zack's reps were almost done and after a while, he jumped up in victory, "Yes! I beat the Great Sephiroth!"

With the last of his reps finally done, Sephiroth stopped and rested his elbows on his knees, putting his head in his hands, he began to shake. Now that they were done for day, they had the whole rest of the afternoon and evening to 'relax' and let the mako sickness fade. All Sephiroth could rally was to look at him and he spoke softly, "I suppose you did." As he slowly worked to get to his feet.

Zack looked a little concerned, he bent over to put his face in front of Sephiroth's, "Are you okay?" They stood there for just a moment staring at one another, before Sephiroth could answer, he fell to his knees.

He looked up at Zack and his face was strained and twisted in pain. Very quietly Sephiroth said, "Cloud." As Zack helplessly watched, the former General let out a little shrill groan, breathed in rapidly and shuddered.

Zack immediately went into a panic. Dropping down to the floor with him, he grabbed Sephiroth's shoulders and shouted, "Is it the tests they are running on him or not!" The two techs gathered around them, taking notes and talking amongst themselves, then one began to take Sephiroth's vitals.

Sephiroth hissed in some air and a violent sob left his mouth. Sephiroth paused and said, "I don't know… No." Zack wondered what he meant and he looked at Burton, but then he noticed something that dropped his stomach. In the excitement of the race, he hadn't noticed that Davis was gone and Charles had replaced him.

Zack's blood rushed to his face, his heart stopped and his hands turned into the weapons that Shinra worked so hard to create, "Oh, Motherfucker!" He leapt up to leave the gym and Charles and Harper were in the way. Charles held up their restraints. Zack threw a punch and hit Charles in the face.

Charles pushed him backward and readied himself for a fight, "Back off Fair!"

The tech wrote all of the vitals taken of Sephiroth on the notes. Sephiroth quickly got Zack's attention, "Zackary, if you do something now, you will not be able to help him at all." Zack watched Sephiroth, as he stayed on his knees, his hands on the floor, his head hung limply between his shoulders, his body rattled and shook. The tech told Charles and Harper to get them back to their cell.

Sephiroth looked up for a moment and Zack looked into his eyes and he thought he could see Cloud's eyes for just a split second. Zack had seen eyes like that before in the soldiers that he had cut down in the name of Shinra. Some of those eyes haunted his dreams and he could never forget the horror that filled them to the brim. It would flow over into the anxiety of the unknown, the sight of their willpower and spirit broken and shattered. "He is going to need you…" Sephiroth gasped loudly and violently and then exhaled with a pain filled groan. His head dropped back down and he reached up to Zack's hand without looking at him, "Believe me."

Sephiroth was right, if he lost control now he wouldn't get a chance to help Cloud at all, he would surely be sent to solitary confinement. Zack helped Sephiroth to his feet and he stumbled a little and fell into Zack's arms and he kept him standing. The overprotective former Soldier was about to explode, but he kept telling himself to stay in control. Once the guards were finished putting on their restraints, Zack looked at Sephiroth as he looked at the far wall as if it were an attacker; bright eyes dulled and welled with tears. Zack called to him, "Sephiroth! What's happening?"

Slowly and sadly, he looked over at Zack and a single tear slid down Sephiroth's cheek. Zack clenched his jaw and balled up his fists. He closed his eyes and squeezed back the tears of anger and took a deep breath.

Both men waddled down the hall to the cell door as quickly as his chains and escorts would allow and when they got to the door, Charles opened it and Zack yelled into the cell, "Spike!" Zack's heart felt like it was going to leap from his chest. Zack shook the restraints on his wrists behind him and looked over his shoulder at Charles, "Damn it! Get these damn things off me!" Zack looked toward the bathroom doorway and saw a little bit of blood on the floor. "Cloud!" Sephiroth stayed in the hallway until Harper pushed him in and shut the door behind him.

Once loose of the shackles Zack ran to the bathroom where he saw that Cloud had squeezed himself into the corner between the toilet and the shower stall. The boy's legs were drawn up and his arms were wrapped tightly around his knees, he was bloody and bruised, and his sideways gaze was completely empty. Blood ran down from his nose and eyebrow and more blood was smeared on his face. He just vacantly stared at the wall next to him.

As he took a step into the bathroom, Zack slipped in a small puddle of a mix of blood and water on the floor. Catching himself on the counter, that's when he saw the bloody prints. All around the bathroom he saw bloody hand, finger prints and blood smears on the corner of the door frame, the sink, the walls, the counter, the side of the toilet and bloody drag marks on the floor. Cloud had vomited on the floor on the other side of the toilet and Zack gagged when he realized what it was.

Swallowing the terror of what had happened, he made his way toward the back to get to Cloud. Zack put his hand on Cloud's shoulder and he jerked away, out from under the friendly hand.

"That son of a bitch," Zack slapped at the wall and Cloud flinched. Hanging his head, the brunette took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. Sephiroth came around the corner, walked a few steps into the bathroom and pushed a blanket into Zack's hands. Without a word, Sephiroth went back and sat down on the bed silently, he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees and covered his face.

Zack crawled closer to Cloud with the blanket and wrapped it around him as he sat down on the floor in front of his traumatized friend. Mustering everything in his being to speak as calmly as possible, Zack quietly called, "Spiky, it's me." Cloud's face startled, and Zack let a sad smile briefly show, "Hey Buddy."

Cloud's eyes focused on him and in a very quiet, shaky whisper, all he said was, "…Zack…?"

"Yeah, it's me," This was the hardest thing Zack thought he had ever done. He fought everything to keep his tears and screams of rage at bay. Tears welled in the blonde's eyes, but none fell, instead he averted his gaze back to the wall.

Zack started to put his hand on his shoulder again, but pulled his hand back, "Please let me help you." Cloud remained still and they sat there for a while until Zack verbally nudged, "Hey, I'm going to get you cleaned up and in bed." Cloud said nothing and refused to look at Zack; Cloud closed his eyes and silently accepted Zack's help.

His face remained blank and he was unmoving on his own. As Zack went to pick him up off the floor, Cloud winced and hissed at the pain in his beaten body.

Zack noticed that the spot where Cloud had been sitting, a small amount of blood had accumulated. Cloud stood motionless and stared at the shower with a fearful despair filling his eyes until Zack reassured, "It's okay, I'm not gonna let anything happen to you." Those words tasted bad in his mouth.

As Cloud slowly began to clean himself off, Zack saw that Cloud had fresh bruises all over. He could see some of them on his hips, thighs and neck that were in the shape of hands. He had a gash on the side of his head that had since clotted. There was a nick on the back of his head but it hadn't bled quite as bad as the other one. His hair was matted with blood, sticking to the side of his face and head. He had bruises and cuts on his left fist and the knuckles on his right hand were bruised, swollen and bleeding.

Zack cursed himself, his friend had been brutalized and he did nothing to stop it. Zack got him out of the shower and dried him off, and helped him get dressed. He walked him out of the bathroom and put him in the bed. Zack sat at the foot of the bed, "Okay buddy, I'll stay right here in case you need me." Zack leaned forward and put his head in his hands. ' _How long was Cloud at the mercy of Davis? Cloud was gone from the gym for almost three hours. How long was he in the lab? It's my fault. Maybe if I had seen Davis leave, I could have done something_.' Zack and Sephiroth made eye contact from across the room. Zack asked in a quiet voice, "Seph, did you feel all of it?"

Sephiroth moved his eyes over to Cloud's form under the blanket; he swallowed hard, "Only part." Zack looked over at Cloud and lowered his head. Cloud was restless so Zack sat back against the wall and gently put his hand on Cloud's ankle. That small amount of contact from his friend seemed to calm the blond teen.

Sephiroth got up after Zack got Cloud settled and went to the bathroom to clean up the mess. Some of the prints and drag marks had since dried. Sephiroth ran his fingers over them. He got all of the attack in a rush of feelings and images. Even though in was just part of it, it was enough pain, terror and shame that it set Sephiroth to thinking. Cloud had been able to block most of it from getting to him, but how.

The whole rest of the afternoon they sat with Cloud. That evening, Cloud refused to eat and remained in bed, facing the wall, refusing to look at either of them.

Much later that night Zack had fallen asleep sitting up and Cloud was sleeping restlessly. Sephiroth finally fell asleep but got woken up by someone sneaking into the room.

"Hey, Mr. Sephiroth. I need to talk to you," Lawrence whispered.

"What?" He asked very curtly.

"I heard what happened." In a quick fluid movement Sephiroth jumped to his feet and grabbed him by the throat and held him at arm's length. "Wait, wait I want to help you," he said hoarsely.

Without loosening his grip, Sephiroth's eyes narrowed and focused fiercely on Lawrence's face, "I'm listening."

"Davis was bragging about what happened," Holding the wrist of the hand that held his throat firmly, he held his free hand up in surrender, "Listen, Cloud and I haven't ever really gotten along, but NO ONE deserves what happened to him. Davis is a sick bastard and I want to help you. Please."

"Why do you want to help us? Why don't you help us get out of here?" Sephiroth's baritone voice spoke lowly.

"I can't help you escape. Believe me I have thought about it. It's a long story. I can and want to help you with Davis," Lawrence pleaded.

Sephiroth scanned him in a way that Lawrence began to tremble in fear, "I'm waiting, and I am not in a very patient mood."

"My sister… the same thing happened to her. She died and they never caught the son of a bitch that cut her up after violating her over and over," Lawrence started tearing up and his voice cracked.

Sephiroth slowly let go of infantry soldier's neck. Lawrence took his throat in his hands and swallowed. He tried not to cough to clear his throat.

Sephiroth walked over to Zack while still keeping an eye on Lawrence, squatting down, Sephiroth nudged the brunette's knee and Zack startled awake, "What's going on?"

"Shhh." Sephiroth put his finger up to his lips and pointed to Cloud. Pointing his thumb at Lawrence, Sephiroth whispered, "Lawrence here has a proposition."

They walked over to the bathroom and Zack stayed in the doorway in case Cloud woke up, "What's going on?" Zack crossed his arms, "What is your deal? You're one of the guys that jumped Cloud in his barracks room."

Lawrence held his hands up, "No, wait… That was all Connors's deal." Lawrence fidgeted, "Conners had it out for him for as long as I knew him."

Zack shifted his weight forward, "So why did you get involved?"

"I was new and he was the first guy that I made friends with. He knew Cloud from his home town. He said that he left shortly after Cloud did because he wanted to join the military too." Lawrence leaned against the wall, "Something about some girl that he liked."

Sephiroth crossed his arms and addressed both of them, "This Conners boy sounds completely intellectually deficient."

Lawrence smiled, "Well Jason Conners was never known for being the brightest color in the crayon box." He recalled, "The last time Connors jumped Cloud, he told us that Cloud was all over the girl. Shit, I can't remember her name."

Zack spoke solemnly, "Tifa."

Lawrence snapped his fingers, "Yeah that's it. Anyway he said that Cloud was all over her and she was yelling for help. He said that if he hadn't been there, that Cloud was going to rape her." Lawrence peeked around the corner at Cloud, "I never tried to get to know Cloud because I always thought he was a rapist or something."

Zack's shocked look at the story dropped his jaw, "Cloud would never do anything to her. He is and always has been in love with her." Cloud stirred in bed and Zack lowered his voice.

"Well, now that I know him better," Lawrence looked at Zack and Sephiroth and continued, "He is a good person… and I see that now."

Zack raised an eyebrow, "So you want to help. How?" Lawrence explained what his plan was and they all agreed.

Davis had the next couple of days off and it gave Lawrence and Barber some time. The morning that Davis was due back at work, all three of them stood in their cell in a semi-circle. Zack looked at Cloud, "Listen Buddy, I want you to trust me."

"I do trust you," Cloud's eyes remained pointed at the floor and he strained a small smile.

Zack put his hands on the sides of Cloud's head and looked intently into his friend's eyes. Cloud fidgeted from the eye contact, but he tolerated it, "Okay, because something is going to happen here in a few minutes and I need your help."

"What's going on?" Cloud was starting to sound uneasy and worried.

"You stay right here in the bathroom with Seph, I will be right over there. Okay. Do you understand?"

Cloud's concerned look turned to a puzzled look, "Zack?"

With his hands still holding Cloud's head, Zack pulled Cloud's head toward his until their foreheads touched, "I promised you that I would take care of you and that is exactly what I'm going to do."

Cloud put his hands around Zack's wrists and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply, "Okay."

When he heard the door open, Lawrence asked if they were ready and Zack released Cloud from his secure embrace. Zack looked at Lawrence and asked, "Where is Barber?"

Cloud tensed up at the sight of Lawrence who threw up a quick wave and said in a pleasant voice, "Hey Cloud." then continued to Zack, "Barber's out there. We're gonna go throw the bait, so heads up." Lawrence took his leave.

"Okay," Zack turned to Sephiroth and Cloud, "Showtime." Cloud was questioning in his face. "Trust me." Zack turned and headed for the door.

Zack's eyes held a certain sadness that Sephiroth had never seen in him before. He appreciated their friendship with him and each other. Sephiroth took Cloud's arm and pulled him over to the doorway to the bathroom, "Cloud, you stand right here. I will be right over there." Sephiroth took a step around Cloud and went further into the bathroom.

Cloud looked at Sephiroth without making eye contact, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"When it… when I was here, did you…" He had trouble finding the words that he wanted to say.

Cloud had refused to talk to either of them about anything pertaining to the attack and anytime Cloud caught him or Zack looking at him, he would drop his eyes. This was the first time Cloud had looked at him since the attack. Sephiroth studied his face knowing and _feeling_ what he wanted to know.

Sephiroth knew that Cloud deeply wanted to know that his shame had not been shared, but at the same time, he wanted to know that he wasn't alone, "Only bits and pieces," he said softly. Sephiroth's eyes stayed steady and strong.

Cloud hung his head, "Oh, I'm sorry that I couldn't fight back better."

Sephiroth gently put his hand on Cloud's shoulder, "Some of what I felt was when you were fighting. You have nothing to be ashamed about."


End file.
